NASA selects NOAA for development of space weather sensors on SWFO-1
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 27, 2024

NASA has awarded a $20.5 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, for the development of Suprathermal Ion Sensors as part of NOAA's Space Weather Next Program. These sensors will be critical for the Lagrange 1 Series project, providing real-time data to improve space weather forecasting.

The contract, set to conclude by January 31, 2034, encompasses the design, fabrication, integration, and testing of two Suprathermal Ion Sensor instruments. APL will perform the work at its Maryland facility, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Additionally, the scope includes launch support, ground equipment maintenance, and post-launch operational support at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility.

These instruments are designed to measure suprathermal ions and electrons over a broad energy spectrum, offering continuous monitoring capabilities. The data they provide will help NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center forecast and mitigate space weather disruptions that affect power grids, communications, and navigation systems. The sensors will also analyze solar ejections, such as coronal mass ejections and interplanetary shocks, to predict their arrival times and potential impacts on Earth.

NOAA will oversee the program's funding, management, and operational responsibilities, including data dissemination. NASA, in collaboration with its commercial partners, is responsible for the development, launch, and deployment of the spacecraft and instruments.

"These instruments will deliver vital real-time information to safeguard infrastructure and provide early warnings of space weather events," said NASA.

Related Links
NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center
Solar Science News at SpaceDaily