NASA
Assigns "Living With a Star Missions" to APL
NASA has authorized
the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), Laurel,
Md., to proceed with the implementation of the Geospace missions
under NASA's existing "Living with a Star" contract with
APL. The Living with a Star (LWS) program seeks to address how the
variability in the sun affects life on Earth as well as its affect
on space weather.
LWS sets out
to quantify the physics, dynamics and behavior of the Sun-Earth
system over the 11-year solar cycle and improve understanding of
solar variability and disturbances on terrestrial climate change.
It will also provide data and scientific understanding aimed at
developing a predictive capability for space weather affects. In
addition, LWS will give scientists a detailed characterization of
radiation environments useful in the design of more reliable electronic
components for air and space transportation systems.
The two missions
assigned to the APL make-up the LWS Geospace Project. These missions
were recently identified in a study completed by the Geospace Mission
Definition Team, a group tasked by NASA Headquarters to identify
LWS Geospace Project goals and priorities. The two missions are
the Ionosphere-Thermosphere Mapper Mission (ITM) and the Radiation
Belt Mapper Mission (RBM).
LWS is part
of the Sun-Earth Connection theme within the Office of Space Science
at NASA Headquarters in Washington. NASA's Goddard Space Flight
Center, Greenbelt, Md. manages the LWS program.
For the complete
article, go to:
http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/news-release/releases/2003/h03-017.htm
For more on the Living With a Star program, go to: http://lws.gsfc.nasa.gov
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