NASA's AWE Mission Concludes After Studying Earth's Impact on Space Weather
• NASA's Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) mission, installed on the International Space Station (ISS) since November 2023, has successfully concluded its data collection phase as of May 21,
• The mission focused on studying atmospheric gravity waves—large ripples in the atmosphere caused by weather events like thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes. These waves were observed in Earth's airglow, a phenomenon visible in infrared light. Over its 30-month operation, AWE captured over 80 million nighttime images, revealing how terrestrial weather events influence space weather. The data collected has provided unprecedented insights into how atmospheric disturbances propagate into space, affecting satellite operations and communication systems. The mission was managed by NASA's Heliophysics Division and Utah State University's Space Dynamics Laboratory.
Why It's Important?
The AWE mission has highlighted the interconnectedness of Earth's weather and space weather. Atmospheric gravity waves, generated by extreme weather events, can disrupt the density of plasma in the upper atmosphere, leading to interference with satellite-based navigation, communication, and timing systems. For instance, waves from a tornado outbreak in May 2024 and Hurricane Helene in September 2024 were observed to create significant upper-atmospheric disturbances. Understanding these interactions is critical for mitigating risks to the orbital economy and ensuring the reliability of satellite operations.
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