Specializing in Mesospheric, Thermospheric, Ionospheric, and Magnetospheric Research

Mission Statement:
The Geospace Physics Branch's mission is to advance knowledge of the coupled solar wind - magnetosphere - ionosphere system by means of experimental and theoretical investigations and to provide leadership to NASA's Space Science Enterprise by serving as Project Scientists for Sun-Earth Connection Theme space flight programs.

May 28, 2004 - Implementation of Swarm Approved:
The Earth Observation Program Board of ESA has approved the Swarm - Earth's Magnetic Field and Environment Explorers for implementation with a launch in 2009.  Swarm consists of a constellation of three satellites that will make the most accurate and comprehensive mapping of the Earth's magnetic and ionospheric electric fields ever conducted.  J.A. Slavin (612.3) is a Swarm Co-Investigator.  The Swarm Lead Investigator is Dr. Eigil Friis-Christensen of the Danish Space Research Institute.

May 27, 2004 - Proposal Selected for Funding:
Tom Narock's proposal "Extending the LWS Data Environment: Distributed Data Processing and Analysis" has been selected for funding by the LWS/TR&T Program.  The work is for one year and Dr. Adam Szabo will serve as a collaborator.  It aims to develop a prototype, distributed, peer-to-peer, data processing system.  The system will operate as a series of distributed peers operating in conjunction with one another to provide data analysis services to the community and will serve as a testbed for future Virtual Observatories.

May 25, 2004 - Two Proposals Won by Scientists:
Dr. Jan Merka and Dr. Adam Szabo have had 2 proposals accepted.  The first entitled "Solar Wind Input into the Magnetosphere: Assimilation of Multi-Spacecraft Data" will be funded by the NASA LWS/TR&T Program.  The other, "Reconstruction of the Transverse Solar Wind Profile at 1 AU Using Basic Data Assimilation Techniques", will be supported by the NSF Space Weather Program.  Both proposals will run for three years.  The proposed work will reconstruct the solar wind and IMF profile transverse to the Sun-Earth line by assimilating data from up to 5 solar monitors using a statistical interpolation technique to enable understanding of the asymmetrical or non-uniform input into the magnetosphere.

March 24, 2004 - Tentative Date Set for Launch of ST-5:
A tentative date of February 15, 2006 has been set for the launch of ST-5 on a Pegasus launch vehicle out of the Western Test Range/VAFB.  The ST-5 orbit and mission plan is still being refined, but a ~ 300 x 3,000 km, dawn-dusk, sun-synchronous orbit is planned.  Jim Slavin (612.3) is the ST-5 Project Scientist and Guan Le (612.3) is the lead scientist for the constellation validation activities.

March 23, 2004 - MESSENGER Launch Delayed: 
The MESSENGER launch, originally scheduled for May 11, 2004 is being delayed until at least July 30th.  The new mission plan includes 3 Mercury fly-bys on Jan. 14, 2008, Oct. 6, 2008, and Sept. 29, 2009 with orbit insertion on March 18, 2011.  Jim Slavin (612.3) is the Lead Co-I for magnetospheric magnetic fields