2006-08-18 | TECHNOLOGIES
NASA Satellites Will Improve Understanding of the Sun

NASA's Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory mission will dramatically improve understanding of the powerful solar eruptions that can send more than a billion tons of the sun's outer atmosphere hurtling into space. The mission will allow scientists to construct the first three-dimensional view of the sun, and will explore the origin, evolution and interplanetary consequences of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The STEREO mission comprises two nearly identical spacecraft the size of golf carts, which are scheduled to launch on Aug. 31.

Coronal mass ejections are bubbles of gas threaded with magnetic field lines that are ejected from the sun. These bursts can disrupt the flow of the solar wind and produce disturbances that strike the Earth with sometimes catastrophic results. Radiation associated with these solar events can harm astronauts and equipment like as satellites in orbit around Earth. In addition, large bursts of radiation from the sun can effect our planet's environment.

Studying solar radiation can help ensure the safety of human explorers in space. The effects of solar radiation on life are important in determining the future of Earth life beyond our planet. Understanding the connections between the sun and Earth is important for determining the conditions that make a planet habitable for life and will help scientists estimate the number of potentially habitable locations in the Universe.

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