NOAA’s DSCOVR satellite reaches one million miles from Earth

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) deep space climate observatory (DSCOVR) satellite has reached its final orbit at around a million miles from Earth.

Said to be the first US weather satellite in deep space, the DSCOVR is currently located at Lagrange point 1 (L1), and will soon undergo final instrument checks.

Nasa Goddard Space Flight Center DSCOVR project manager Al Vernacchio said: "DSCOVR has reached its final orbit and will soon be ready to begin its mission of space weather monitoring for NOAA and Earth observing for Nasa."

The satellite is designed to provide measurements of solar wind conditions to help monitor potentially harmful solar activity. It will replace Nasa’s advanced composition explorer (ACE) research satellite, which will continue to serve the science community.

Data from a new forecast model due to come online in 2016 combined with DSCOVR will enable the NOAA team to evaluate geomagnetic storm magnitude on a regional basis, and provide space weather forecasts.

Geomagnetic storms form when plasma and magnetic fields from the sun impacts magnetic fields on Earth.

The solar magnetic storms are said to disrupt power grids, aviation, telecommunications and GPS systems.

DSCOVR lifted-off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida aboard a Space X Falcon 9, and travelled for more than 100 days.

The satellite is carrying space weather-monitoring instruments and two Nasa Earth-observing instruments.

Nasa’s instruments will take measurements of ozone and aerosol levels to detect changes in the Earth’s radiation.

NOAA’s satellite operation facility in Suitland, Maryland, will operate DSCOVR, while its space weather prediction centre in Colorado will process the space weather data and distribute it to users worldwide.

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Image: An artist’s rendering of the DSCOVR spacecraft at one million miles from the Earth. Photo: courtesy of Nasa.