Join the Cosmic Carpool: Journey to a Distant Space Weather Observation Post!

The Carruthers mission honors George Carruthers, a pioneering engineer and solar physicist. In 1972, he created an ultraviolet camera that the Apollo 16 astronauts used on the Moon. This camera gave us our first glimpse of the geocorona, a term Carruthers himself introduced.

Weighing 531 pounds, or 241 kilograms, the Carruthers observatory was developed by BAE Systems, with help from the University of California, Berkeley’s Space Sciences Lab. There’s a wealth of knowledge waiting to be uncovered through this mission. Scientists are still piecing together basic facts about the exosphere and geocorona.

“We still don’t know its size precisely,” explained Lara Waldrop, the mission’s lead researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “We’re unsure if it’s spherical or oval, how it changes, or even the density of the hydrogen atoms it contains.”

What we do know is that the exosphere plays a crucial role in how solar storms impact the Earth. It’s also linked to the very slow loss of atomic hydrogen from water vapor high in the atmosphere. “This is incredibly gradual, taking billions of years. It’s not something to worry about,” Waldrop reassured.

Additionally, the Carruthers mission will collaborate with the Space Weather Follow On-L1 (SWFO-L1), the world’s first operational satellite dedicated to monitoring space weather. This $692 million mission will act as an “early warning beacon” for geomagnetic storms, which can have serious effects on our technology and infrastructure.

Historically, NOAA’s satellites have focused on Earth from low-Earth and geosynchronous orbits, providing data on weather patterns and storm movements. But until now, monitoring the solar wind relied on a mix of various research satellites. SWFO-L1, also built by BAE Systems, is a groundbreaking mission designed for round-the-clock solar wind observations, offering vital early warnings.

This mission reflects the growing understanding of space weather’s importance in our daily lives. According to a recent survey by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, about 50% of Americans are unaware of how solar activity can impact communications, GPS, and power grids. As scientists deepen their understanding of the exosphere, these missions are crucial for preparing for and mitigating the effects of solar events.

In a world increasingly reliant on technology, the insights gained from the Carruthers mission and SWFO-L1 could help safeguard our infrastructure and improve our response to solar events.

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