SpaceX will launch NASA’s solar flare detection technology on Tuesday

A small ship of scientific instruments designed to provide warning signals of solar flares is expected to be launched on Tuesday, June 25.

The Sun emits large bursts of energy called solar flares, which can affect Earth in large ways.

Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have developed a series of instruments called Extreme Ultraviolet and X-ray Irradiance Sensors (EXIS) that act as a first line of defense against the sun’s rays. Interestingly, these instruments can see the sun’s rays before any other instrument in space and send detection data to Earth in seconds.

It is equipped with two sensors

EXIS looks a bit like a toaster oven, but it’s packed with powerful technology. It has two sensors called X-Ray Sensor (XRS) and Extreme Ultraviolet Sensor (EUVS).

The XRS sensor detects X-ray energy from the sun and can detect the first signs of a solar flare. These powerful explosions release a stream of charged particles that rush toward Earth. While some can create beautiful auroras, others can be a serious threat. These fast-moving and powerful particles can damage electronics and even endanger astronauts in orbit.

On the other hand, the EUVS sensor monitors changes in solar activity that may affect the Earth’s atmosphere.

According to a press release, these changes could “cause the Earth’s atmosphere to become saturated and deformed, as if the entire planet were breathing. If the atmosphere expands too much, it can drag down satellites into orbit.

Researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will evaluate data from both EXIS sensors and send real-time alerts to satellite operators and space agencies around the world to ensure safe navigation through atmospheric hazards.

This early warning is especially important as Solar Cycle 25 is still gathering pace with peak activity predicted for the summer of 2025.

The first week of May saw an onslaught of solar fury. Huge explosions and explosions erupted from the sun, causing a storm of charged particles on Earth.

According to NASA, the storm was the largest in two decades and “may be one of the strongest displays on record in the last 500 years.” This led to massive displays of solar storms in the United States, and other parts of the planet.

Launch tomorrow

The EXIS instrument is equipped with NOAA’s GOES-U satellite. NASA will launch a satellite into orbit from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket tomorrow.

GOES stands for Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite. GOES-U is the newest of the GOES-R series satellites, which monitor Earth’s climate from orbit.

A successful launch would be a major step forward in expanding space weather monitoring and understanding.

Additionally, the launch of EXIS will mark the completion of a strong GOES team. Three identical EXIS instruments are already operational, each keeping clocks from its own GOES-R observatory satellite.

GOES satellites do not orbit the Earth like some. They hold a special position in space called a “geostationary orbit,” floating more than 22,000 miles above the equator. This interesting feature is great for weather monitoring, but it comes with a downside: intense radiation exposure.

“If we want to understand these things that can affect our technology and security on Earth, we need to look at the source, and that is the sun,” said Frank Eparvier, assistant director of science at CU Boulder’s Laboratory for Astrophysics and Space Physics (LASP) and senior scientist. of EXIS, in a press release.