Mission to Image Earth's Magnetic Bubble
A pioneering space mission aims to provide unprecedented insights into the magnetic bubble that surrounds Earth.
Scientists from the Mullard Space Science Laboratory in Dorking, Surrey, are preparing to launch a spacecraft that will orbit more than 120,000 km (74,564 miles) above the North Pole.
The mission is expected to capture images of the edge of the magnetic bubble for the first time and generate data to enhance space weather forecasting for future missions.
"We have never done anything like this before. We have lots of models and theoretical frameworks but now we get to see what's going on."
– Dr Colin Forsyth, project investigator
The project, named Smile (Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer), will image the magnetosphere by detecting x-rays emitted by particles from the sun, known as solar wind.
Additionally, it will be the first mission to continuously record the northern lights, which result from solar winds, for periods of up to 45 hours.
This initiative is a collaborative effort involving the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, operated by University College London, the University of Leicester, the European Space Agency, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and funding from the UK Space Agency.
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