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NASA launches mission to study geomagnetic storms

Posted Feb 19, 2007 at 01:06PM by Chris L. Listed in: NASA, Space Missions Tags: NASA, University of California, THEMIS, Associated Press
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Pretty, ain't it? But what you don't know could short, knock, or nuke you!!! - Image 1 


It had to be a record launch for the space agency. As reported by the Associated Press, NASA launched the most number of satellites in a rocket - FIVE - last Saturday. This was part of a mission to study geomagnetic substorms in the Earth's atmosphere. The satellites are collectively known as THEMIS, for Time History of Events and Macroscale Interaction during Substorms (not to be confused with THEMIS, the Thermal Emission Imaging System on the Mars Odyssey orbiter).

Scientists believe that geomagnetic substorms help intensify aurora displays (which is a good thing), as well as short out communications satellites, knock out power grids, and nuke airline passengers and spacewalking astronauts with high levels of radiation (definitely not good). And they don't know how they occur. Definitely not good either, considering what they could do to airline passengers.

The mission team at the University of California-Berkeley ground station confirmed that THEMIS was working fine after launch.

[Via Associated Press (via CNN)] Permalink  |   Email this  |   Linking Blogs   |   Digg It!

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