Browsing: NASA ICON

NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) is a satellite mission launched on October 10, 2019, aimed at studying the Earth’s ionosphere, the dynamic region where Earth’s atmosphere meets space. This layer of the atmosphere is influenced by both terrestrial weather from below and space weather from above, affecting radio communications, GPS signals, and satellite health. ICON orbits at an altitude of about 360 miles (580 kilometers) and uses a suite of four scientific instruments to measure the properties of the ionosphere, including its density, composition, and temperature. These instruments also observe the airglow—the natural glow of Earth’s atmosphere caused by solar radiation—to understand how the movement of air affects ionospheric variability. By exploring these connections, ICON helps scientists understand the physical processes taking place in the near-space environment and how they affect our technology and communications systems on Earth.