ITM Physics Laboratory
 

Exploring the Heart of Space Weather with the Geospace Dynamics Constellation

Doug Rowland | The Geospace Dynamics Constellation, or GDC, will provide the first direct global measurements of Earth’s atmospheric interface to space — a region where disturbances can cause space weather effects like scrambling of communications and navigation signals, satellite orbit disruptions, and induced currents that can trigger power outages on Earth. GDC’s unprecedented multi-point observations in the heart of this interface region will provide a shift in perspective on this region akin to the launch of the first weather satellites, allowing scientists to understand this complex, interconnected system as a whole. NASA Science Theater at AGU 2020!

The GDC Mission constellation concept

Find out more at the GDC Website

GDC Mission webpage. Within the region connecting our home to space, we see how weather from above and below impact our ability to live and work.

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Find Fliers and posters about GDC here

The mission Poster and slide from the GDC town hall are at the mission website .

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Planned GDC Ephemeris

GDC Planned Ephemeris Data Now Available for Download at the Mission website - Start planning now for how you will interact with GDC.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, March 19, 2024
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
675 Lab meetings
The Ionosphere, Thermosphere, Mesosphere Lab meets weekly to discuss news and updates as well as share our achievements and roadblocks.
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Wednesday, March 20, 2024
02:00 AM - 03:30 PM
MSDG weekly Discussion
Join the Magnetospheric Science Discussion Group to learn more about the geospace region and how it connects to the atmosphere and out to the solar wind.
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Wednesday, March 20, 2024
01:00 PM - 05:30 PM
Goddard Space Science Symposium
The Goddard Space Science Symposium is back for its 61st year of bringing the space community together to discuss the latest in the industry. More info at https://astronautical.org/events/goddard/.
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Featured Videos

A Solar Wind Sea Shanty

Parodying the classic sea shanty "The Wellerman," “The Solar Wind: A Heliophysics Sea Shanty” illuminates one of the primary connections between the Sun and Earth, the solar wind. Participants (in order of appearance): Douglas E. Rowland (NASA/GSFC), Ashley Greeley (USRA), Ian Richardson (UMD), Jeff Klenzing (NASA/GSFC), Susannah Darling (ADNET). Video credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Susannah Darling (ADNET), Joy Ng (USRA), Nick Leonard (Freelance), Miles Hatfield (Telophase), Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET), This video can be shared and downloaded at https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13853 .

Welcome to the Ionosphere!

Learn about the features of the ionosphere! This little-explored region exists between space and Earth. It is home to the aurora, the international space station, a variety of satellites, and radio communication waves. Join us as we venture to this interface to space! Music credit: Foxy Trot by Luis Enriquez Bacalov Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Krystofer Kim (USRA), Genna Duberstein (USRA), Ryan Fitzgibbons (USRA), Robert C. Garner (USRA), Sarah L. Jones (NASA/GSFC), Tom Immel (SSL Berkeley), Jeff Klenzing. This video is public domain and along with other supporting visualizations can be downloaded from the Scientific Visualization Studio at: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12532

Chasing Lightning: Spritacular

Follow along and watch this wonderful introduction to our newest citizen science group, Spritacular, as they learn more about all kinds of lightning, from elves, sprits, to transient luminous events. Get involved at Spritacular.org

 
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How you too can get involved with NASA Science

Science is for everyone and we want you to get involved! Check out all the amazing ways at the Goddard Citizen Science website!

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Spritacular

Join the chase of lightning from the ground, engage with a global community of observers, and contribute your observations for NASA Science at Spritacular!

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Aurorasaurus

Want to learn more about the aurora and help scientist understand these dancing lights? Join up with others at Aurorasaurus and even get emails when the aurora might be in your area!

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Radio Jove

Space is filled with radio waves! Help scientists learn more about where all these waves come from and how they are used to tell us more about our place in the universe at Radio Jove.