NASA selects mission to study space weather interaction with Earth’s atmosphere

NASA has selected the Dynamical Atmosphere and Plasma Heating on Rotating Explorations (DAPHNE) mission to investigate how solar wind energy couples with Earth's upper atmosphere and ionosphere. The agency announced the selection as part of its Solar Connections Program, which focuses on understanding the connections between the Sun and Earth's environment.

DAPHNE will operate in low Earth orbit to measure the fundamental processes that govern energy transfer from space weather events into the thermosphere and ionosphere. Solar wind, a constant stream of charged particles from the Sun, interacts with Earth's magnetosphere and upper atmosphere, triggering geomagnetic storms and auroras. During extreme space weather events, this energy influx can disrupt satellites, communications systems, and power grids on the ground.

The mission addresses a critical gap in heliophysics research. Current understanding of how energy dissipates in the upper atmosphere remains incomplete, limiting forecasters' ability to predict the effects of severe space weather. DAPHNE will carry instruments to measure plasma dynamics, electric and magnetic fields, and atmospheric composition changes during geomagnetic disturbances.

Data from DAPHNE will refine space weather models and improve predictions of ionospheric effects on GPS signals and radio communications. The mission also contributes to fundamental plasma physics knowledge, particularly regarding heating mechanisms in collision-free plasmas.

The Solar Connections Program represents NASA's commitment to understanding Sun-Earth interactions as space weather poses increasing risks to modern infrastructure. Satellites, the power grid, and aviation all depend on accurate space weather forecasting. DAPHNE joins other Solar Connections missions in building a comprehensive picture of how energy from the Sun reaches and affects Earth's atmosphere.

Mission development will now proceed through design and engineering phases, with launch targeted for the coming years. The mission demonstrates NASA's focus on operational space weather science alongside its exploration objectives.