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GEOSPACE MISSIONS
Geospace – the region of space that stretches from the Earth’s upper atmosphere to the outermost reaches of
the Earth’s magnetic field — has a large impact on human technologies. Due to their potential effects on human
technological systems, space weather phenomena within the radiation belts and the ionosphere/thermosphere are of particular concern.
Space weather phenomena within the former region energize particles that can endanger both astronauts and electronic systems, while
space weather phenomena within the ionosphere/thermosphere disrupt radio communication, aircraft navigation, and spacecraft operations,
and can also have a deleterious impact on power line transmission and oil pipeline operations on the ground. All of these effects become
more pronounced during severe geomagnetic storms, which energize radiation belt particles, create complex changes in the upper atmosphere
densities, and produce strong ionospheric density gradients that spawn ionospheric irregularities and scintillations.
The LWS Geospace missions have been designed to address space physics research problems that directly impact society.
Given their importance, the first two Geospace missions will focus on the radiation belts and the ionosphere/thermosphere at mid-to-low
latitudes (where most people live) in order to provide the level of scientific understanding needed to predict potentially hazardous effects.
The knowledge gained from these missions will be used to (1) understand the fundamental physical processes governing the radiation belts and
ionosphere/thermosphere, (2) improve space weather forecasts and (3) better the design and operations of new technology on Earth and in space,
RADIATION BELT STORM PROBES (RBSP)
Energetic ions and electrons within the Earth’s radiation belts pose a hazard to both astronauts and spacecraft. The LWS Geospace program will launch two spacecraft,
the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, to discover the fundamental physics underlying the source, loss, and transport processes that govern the radiation belts. Observations
from the two spacecraft will enable the development of empirical and physics-based models for the radiation belts. The empirical models will be used by engineers to design
radiation-hardened spacecraft, while the physics-based models will be used by forecasters to predict geomagnetic storms and alert both astronauts and spacecraft operators to
potential hazards. The knowledge gained from the mission will be applicable to particle acceleration processes occurring throughout the plasma universe. Science investigations
were selected in 2006, the RBSP spacecraft will be launched in 2011.
+ Link to Mission Website
IONOSPHERE-THERMOSPHERE STORM PROBES (ITSP)
 In addition to an imager to be placed on a non-LWS
high-altitude spacecraft, the LWS Geospace program will launch two Ionosphere-Thermosphere Storm Probes to investigate the middle and low latitude
distributions of ionospheric and thermospheric densities, ionospheric irregularities, and geomagnetic disturbances as a function of varying solar
and geospace conditions. The spacecraft will observe the composition, chemistry, density, and dynamics of the Earth’s ionosphere and thermosphere
along with radio scintillation properties. Research on these observations will enable the development of models that not only predict intervals
during which communication and GPS navigation will be disrupted but also the optimal frequencies for radio communications. An improved knowledge of
neutral densities within the thermosphere will help mission planners evaluate drag effects on spacecraft orbits, and facilitate the tracking of
the increasing number of small space objects in low Earth orbit.
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