Tech Desk 
Jan 26, 2025
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is set to lift off two rockets through an active aurora borealis, aiming to gain a deeper understanding of the natural phenomenon.
Expected to launch into space from the Poker Flat Research Range in Fairbanks, Alaska, the two rockets are a part of the Ground Imaging to Rocket Investigation of Auroral Fast Features (GIRAFF) and Black and Diffuse Aurora Science Surveyor missions.
The mission will be led by space physicists Marilia Samara and Robert Michell from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre and will study the unique movements, properties, and behaviours of auroras.
While the launch window opened on January 21, the team is waiting for the perfect moment to launch, relying on ground-based cameras and an observatory in Venetie, Alaska, to determine the optimal time.
What are auroras borealis?
Aurora borealis, also known as northern lights, are created when charged particles from the sun collide with atoms in the Earth's upper atmosphere, releasing energy in the form of light.
Although scientists have a general understanding of auroras, each of them presents unique characteristics, so understanding these behaviours can provide new insights into space weather around the Earth, according to NASA.
The rockets will be equipped with instruments to study the interaction between electrons and the Earth's magnetic field.
By targeting different auroras, the mission aims to collect data helping researchers better understand what triggers the electrons to create aurora borealis.
