New NASA mission to reveal Earth's invisible 'halo'
7 hours ago
- #Exosphere
- #NASA
- #SpaceWeather
- NASA's Carruthers Geocorona Observatory will study Earth's exosphere, capturing its faint ultraviolet light.
- The exosphere, starting 300 miles up, stretches at least halfway to the Moon and is key to understanding space weather.
- George Carruthers first imaged the geocorona in 1972 during Apollo 16, revealing Earth's hydrogen halo.
- The mission aims to predict space weather storms and understand hydrogen escape, aiding exoplanet research.
- The spacecraft will launch with IMAP and SWFO-L1, heading to Lagrange point 1 for a two-year science phase.
- Two ultraviolet cameras will map hydrogen movement, providing insights into atmospheric escape processes.
- Findings will help identify exoplanets with conditions similar to Earth's, supporting the search for life.