NASA’s Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) Captures Mesospheric Images from Space Station
The Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) has achieved a significant milestone by capturing initial images of the mesosphere from its position on the International Space Station (ISS). AWE was installed on the Space Station on November 18, and initial commands were sent to the instrument on November 20. The first images recently captured, also known as “first light” images, confirm that the instrument is functioning as designed and the mission is operating as expected.
AWE is providing global-scale observations of atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs) at the mesopause region, 54 miles (87 kilometers) above Earth. The data collected by AWE will allow researchers to study how AGWs form due to weather events on Earth and how they are transported through Earth’s atmosphere. This research will help us understand the broader role of AGWs in the upper atmosphere, known as the ionosphere-thermosphere-mesosphere, and their effects on space weather.
The AWE Ground Systems & Mission Operations Manager, Pedro Sevilla of the Solar Dynamics Laboratory (SDL), along with Emeritus Principal Investigator Michael Taylor and Principal Investigator Ludger Scherliess of Utah State University’s College of Science, were thrilled to observe some of the first live images from the AWE instrument being transmitted from the International Space Station to AWE’s Mission Operations Center at SDL.
AWE represents a cutting-edge initiative in space research, focused on studying atmospheric gravity waves and their crucial role in the dynamics of Earth’s atmosphere, particularly in the upper layers like the mesosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere. AWE operates from its unique vantage point aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
One of AWE’s primary objectives is to observe and analyze AGWs in the mesopause region to deepen our understanding of how weather events on Earth’s surface can generate these waves and how they propagate through and affect the atmosphere’s higher regions. This research is vital for comprehending the broader impacts of AGWs on the ionosphere-thermosphere-mesosphere system, particularly in terms of space weather effects, which have implications for satellite operations and communication systems.
AWE is led by Ludger Scherliess at Utah State University in Logan, and it is managed by the Explorers Program Office at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Utah State University’s Space Dynamics Laboratory built the AWE instrument and provides the mission operations center. The successful capture of initial mesospheric images marks an important step forward in the AWE mission, and researchers are eager to continue analyzing the data gathered by this innovative instrument.