The United States recently activated SOLAR-1, its first dedicated space weather monitoring satellite, designed to provide faster warnings of solar storms that can affect GPS, communications, satellites and power grids.
About SOLAR-1:
It is the first United States satellite designed exclusively for continuous operational space weather observation.
It is operated by theS. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Originally named Space Weather Follow On – Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1), the satellite was renamed to Space Weather Observations at L1 to Advance Readiness – 1 (SOLAR-1).
Primary Mission: Continuous monitoring of solar activity and space weather.
Launch Date: 24 September 2025
Launch Vehicle: SpaceX Falcon 9
Orbit:
Positioned at the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1, about 1.6 million kilometres from Earth towards the Sun, SOLAR-1 enjoys a constant, unobstructed view of solar activity.
From this vantage point, it continuously measures solar wind and tracks coronal mass ejections (CMEs) before they reach Earth.
The location’s gravitational stability allows the spacecraft to maintain position with minimal fuel use.
It uses a special telescope, called a compact coronagraph, to monitor the sun's activity in addition to a suite of instruments to make real-time measurements of the solar wind.
It can transmit CME images to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center within 30 minutes, compared to up to eight hours for older systems.
Its enhanced capabilities are expected to improve aurora forecasts and strengthen the protection of power grids, navigation, communications, and space missions from severe space weather.
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