Looking toward the sun, Air Force weather technicians are leading the way in space weather forecasting. They provide space weather analyses, forecasts and alert notification for all Department of Defense agencies and government systems. With observatories in Australia, Italy, Massachusetts, New Mexico and Hawaii, Air Force space weather technicians never let the sun slip from view. The sun, emitting continuous electromagnetic energy and electrically charged particles, can cause disturbances in the near-Earth environment and disrupt satellite communications.
The mission of the Air Force Weather solar observatories is to monitor solar flares, noise storms and other releases of energy from the sun, and when necessary, notify military and civilian concerned with space, weather, power and communications in countries throughout the world.
Det. 1, Learmonth, Australia Det. 2, Sagamore Hill, Mass. Det. 4, Holloman AFB, N.M. Det. 5, Palehua, Hawaii San Vito Solar Observatory, San Vito, Italy