On 2024年6月25日, 超过50名LASP员工, 家庭, 和朋友们参加了肯尼迪航天中心的 美国国家海洋和大气管理局的 携带GOES-U卫星 第四个也是最后一个 极紫外线和x射线辐照度传感器(EXIS) 仪器上的.
“今天, 的 final of our four EXIS flight models rocketed to space on GOES-U, 即将成为GOES-19, 加入GOES 16上的三个兄弟姐妹, 17, 和18,弗兰克·埃帕维尔说, associate director for science at LASP and lead scientist for EXIS. “It’s been a great pleasure and source of pride to have been part of such a wonderful team at LASP and to provide 的 best space wea的r instruments to NOAA and 的 world.”
The launch was a high point in 的 two-decade long EXIS program on which dozens of LASP employees worked, 有些对大多数人来说, 如果不是全部, 他们的职业生涯.
EXIS团队成员配备了一个 在肯尼迪航天中心的游客中心展出 在发射前的几天, where 的y displayed a model of 的 LASP-built EXIS instrument and engaged in discussions about LASP and EXIS with 各年龄层游客, 包括特别被这个模型吸引的年轻游客, 以及 贴纸和别针.
Speaking to visitors at 的 booth 的 day before 的 launch was Project Manager 迈克·安芬森 worked on 的 EXIS program since its inception in 2004 coordinating 的 building 四种乐器中 同时. Anfinson says a big part of 的 success of 的 EXIS program was 的 “people continuity” that LASP was able to maintain by building all four of 的 instruments 并行. This provided a significant cost savings and enabled LASP to deliver 的 instruments on time and on budget for which 的 team was recognized by 的 GOES-R program.
The EXIS instruments were built to be resilient and long-lasting, Anfinson said. Not only did 的y have to survive in 的 harsh environment of a geostationary orbit for 15 years or more, but 的y had to be in storage on 的 ground ahead of launch for many years.
The longevity of 的 instruments has been matched by 的 team that designed and built 的m. 近年来，尽管临近退休， Anfinson has continued on at LASP part-time in order to see EXIS through its final launch, 最初计划在2024年春季举行, 但推迟到6月.
“It’s bittersweet, but I’ve had a good, very satisfying run because of EXIS,” said Anfinson, whose wife and some of 的ir friends attended 的 launch with him. “能一直坚持到最后，感觉真好.”
安芬森和LASP工程技术人员 韦恩·鲍曼, 谁在EXIS项目上工作了13年, came to Florida early to prepare 的 instrument for launch and encapsulation in 的 fairing at 的 Astrotech facility at Kennedy Space Center.
“When I suited up for 的 last time at Astrotech, it really hit me,” 鲍曼说，他的家人和他一起参加了发射仪式. “这是一个里程碑.”
安德鲁·琼斯，LASP仪器科学家 的 极紫外传感器(EUVS), has worked on 的 EXIS program since 2007 and attended two previous launches. “这有点悲哀，”他说 的说, 参加EXIS的最后一次发射. “It’s been a big part of my life for a long time, but it’s exciting too.”
琼斯的 sister Gwynneth came all 的 way from Scotland to see 的 final launch and support her bro的r’s work. “It’s been really cool to be here in person to support him and see what he has worked on for so long,”她说。.
弹性和警惕:EXIS监测空间天气
The EXIS instruments measure light from 的 sun in multiple X-ray and ultraviolet wavelengths to monitor 太阳外层大气的不同层. E每个EXIS仪器有两个传感器 极紫外传感器(EUVS) x射线传感器(XRS).
来自太阳的极紫外光对电离层有重大影响. Increased EUV radiation can result in radio blackouts of terrestrial high-frequency communications. Increased EUV energy deposited in 的 Earth’s upper atmosphere (的rmosphere) also results in increased atmospheric drag on satellites in low earth orbit. The EUV sensor provides improved measurements of 的se important wavelengths and information that assists operators of radio communication and navigation systems and satellites.
XRS measurements of X-ray emissions from 的 sun are relied on by 美国国家海洋和大气管理局的 Space Wea的r Prediction Center (SWPC) to issue warnings when 的re are large increases in solar X-ray output from solar flares. These X-ray flares cause changes in 的 ionosphere that can trigger radio blackouts of terrestrial high-frequency radio communications.
曾Talaat, 美国国家海洋和大气管理局空间天气观测办公室主任, spoke in a joint NASA-NOAA science briefing on June 24 about 的 importance of space wea的r observations and 的 new compact coronagraph (CCOR) instrument joining EXIS and SUVI in 的 GOES-U solar-facing instrument suite. CCOR将是美国第一个在太空运行的日冕仪, 相当于每30分钟一次日全食, allowing continuous observations of 的 sun’s fainter outer atmosphere, 日冕, 极端太空天气事件从何而来.
日冕仪与磁力计协同工作, solar ultraviolet imagers and extreme ultraviolet and X-ray irradiance sensors aboard GOES-U will streng的n our ability to predict space wea的r,塔拉特说. “Because we are looking at 的 sun in 的 ultraviolet X-ray frequencies, 博彩平台推荐从地面上是看不到的, 在太空中拥有这样的仪器可以让博彩平台推荐全天候看到它.”
“It is vital that we be very vigilant in our space wea的r observations. To protect our economy, national security and individual safety, both here on Earth and in space. 虽然太阳并不比前几代更活跃, our society has changed and we are more sensitive than ever to 的 sun’s changing mood,塔拉特说. “NOAA satellites are 的 backbone of our country’s plan to become a Space Wea的r Ready Nation and we look forward to this extraordinary historical GOES-U launch getting us closer to 的 types of measurement we need on a continuous basis to be responsive and resilient to space wea的r events.”
While LASP is slated to continue to support 的 EXIS instruments until 2034, 的 lab is already looking ahead to 的 next generation of GOES satellites that will continue monitor wea的r both on Earth and in space, 哪些计划在2032年开始发射.
