NASA Will Shoot Three Rocket At This Years Solar Eclipse, Buy Why?

NASA to Launch Rockets During Solar Eclipse to Study Upper Atmosphere

Staff | March 28, 2024

 

Objective:  This report details NASA's plan to launch three rockets during the total solar eclipse occurring on April 8, 2024.

Mission Name:  Atmospheric Perturbations around Eclipse Path (APEP)

Launch Site:  Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia

Target: The eclipse path's (115 miles wide) impact on Earth's upper atmosphere (ionosphere).

Why Rockets? Unlike satellites, rockets can be precisely timed to launch into the eclipse path, allowing for measurements at specific moments. This is crucial because the eclipse causes a swift drop in sunlight, creating a unique opportunity to study the ionosphere's response.

The Science: The sudden darkness triggers large-scale atmospheric waves and smaller disturbances within the ionosphere. These changes impact radio communication frequencies. By launching rockets at key points during the eclipse (before, during, and after peak), NASA aims to gather data on:

• Changes in electric and magnetic fields
• Ionospheric density variations
• Temperature fluctuations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image: Solar Flare

 

Benefits: Understanding these perturbations will improve our knowledge of how the ionosphere reacts to space weather events like solar flares and coronal mass ejections. This knowledge can enhance:

Radio communication reliability: Mitigate disruptions to GPS, radio navigation, and other communication systems influenced by the ionosphere.

Space weather forecasting:  Develop more accurate models to predict solar storms and their impact on Earth's atmosphere.

The APEP mission offers a valuable chance to study the ionosphere's response to a total solar eclipse. The data collected will contribute to a better understanding of space weather and its effects on Earth's technological infrastructure.

 

Sources: Forbes, Nasa