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NASA is set to launch two missions in Alaska to study peculiar auroras—those that flicker, pulse, or have holes—and uncover the mysteries behind their behavior. These missions aim to better understand Earth’s space environment, which can impact spacecraft and astronauts.
The Giraff mission will explore fast-pulsating and flickering auroras by flying rockets through them, measuring electron populations to determine the acceleration processes causing these phenomena. Meanwhile, Samara’s team will study “black” auroras, focusing on electron streams reversing direction as they escape into space.
Both teams will track auroras from ground-based cameras in Alaska, timing launches to avoid collisions while gathering critical data. Despite challenges like tracking moving auroras and overcoming technical hurdles, the missions promise significant insights into Earth’s dynamic space environment.
Source: https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/heliophysics/nasa-rockets-flickering-vanishing-auroras