NASA to Investigate Mysterious Source of Solar Radio Signals with New CURIE Mission

By: Sam Watanuki | Published: Jul 10, 2024

NASA is launching the CubeSat Radio Interferometry Experiment (CURIE) on July 9 to locate the mysterious radio signals coming from the sun.

This mission, the first of its kind, aims to identify the sources of radio waves produced during solar storms, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs).

The Importance of Space Weather

Understanding solar phenomena is crucial as solar storms can disrupt Earth’s technology, including communication networks.

Advertisement
space background with multi-colored illumination

Source: Benzoix, Freepik

By studying these radio signals, scientists hope to better predict and mitigate the impacts of space weather on our daily lives.

Decades-Old Mystery

Scientists first detected these radio signals decades ago but have yet to determine their exact origins.

Advertisement
An image of two quasars in proximity. Bright blue light emerges from two nearby points in the sky, around which swirl glittering red and blue arms of matter.

International Gemini Observatory/Wikimedia Commons

NASA’s CURIE mission seeks to unravel this long-standing mystery, providing new insights into solar activity and its effects on Earth.

Why Space Observation is Necessary

According to the European Space Agency (ESA), observing these radio waves from space is important because Earth’s ionosphere absorbs them before they can reach the ground.

Advertisement
An artist's depiction of the Earth and the Sun in the distance

Source: Wikimedia

This phenomenon reveals just how much our planet’s atmosphere influences the signals we try to capture. The ionosphere, a layer of charged gases, extends from 30 to 600 miles above the Earth’s surface.

CURIE's Innovative Approach

CURIE will use two small cube satellites that will separate and move two miles apart once in orbit.

Advertisement
Close-up photograph of the sun

Source: Freepik

By capturing radio waves from the sun and triangulating their source, the satellites will help locate the origins of these signals with unprecedented accuracy.

Launching with Ariane 6

The CURIE mission will embark on its journey aboard the Ariane 6 rocket, operated by the ESA.

Advertisement
A large rocket ship launching off from Earth and spilling large plumes of smoke behind it

Source: NASA

This launch marks the first flight of the Ariane 6, symbolizing a significant collaboration between NASA and ESA in advancing space exploration.

Advertisement

NASA's H-FORT Program

Advertisement
The red sun seen emitting a solar flare from its surface amid black space.

Source: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio - A. J. Christensen, Scott Wiessinger/Wikimedia Commons

This initiative supports innovative projects that enhance our understanding of heliophysics and the dynamic processes of the sun.

Advertisement

Future Missions: SunRISE

Following CURIE, NASA plans to launch the SunRISE mission, which will track radio signals using six satellites.

Advertisement
An X-class solar flare seen on the sun.

Source: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Wikimedia Commons

This mission aims to expand on CURIE’s findings, providing a more comprehensive understanding of solar activity.

Advertisement

The Role of Cube Satellites

Cube satellites, or CubeSats, are small, cost-effective spacecraft that offer new opportunities for scientific research.

Advertisement
The ADRAS-J inspection satellite in low-Earth orbit approaching a potential piece of space debris.

Astroscale/Wikimedia Commons

CURIE’s use of CubeSats demonstrates their potential in addressing complex scientific questions in space.

Advertisement

The Triangulation Technique

By positioning two satellites two miles apart, CURIE will use triangulation to determine the exact source of radio waves.

Advertisement
A solar flare emission seen on the sun’s surface in space.

Source: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Wikimedia Commons

This method leverages the distance between the satellites to accurately pinpoint the origins of the signals.

Advertisement

The Impact on Earth

Solar radio signals can interfere with Earth’s communication systems.

Advertisement
A photograph of the Earth from space

Source: Wikimedia

By locating the sources of these signals, CURIE aims to help scientists develop strategies to protect our technology from solar disturbances.

Advertisement

A Step Towards Solar Understanding

The CURIE mission represents a significant step towards understanding the sun’s behavior.

Advertisement
An image of our Sun.

Source: NASA/Wikimedia Commons

The CURIE mission represents a significant step towards understanding the sun’s behavior.

Advertisement