What are the Radiation Belts?
The Van Allen radiation belts are two donut-shaped regions encircling the Earth, where high-energy particles are trapped by the Earth’s magnetic field.
More about the radiation belts
Why Study the Radiation Belts?
Most spacecraft in Earth orbit operate partly or entirely within the radiation belts. During periods of intense space weather, the density and energy of the trapped particles can increase, posing a danger to astronauts, spacecraft, and even some ground-based technologies.
Why Now?
Our society relies on more than 800 satellites for communication and navigation, and increasingly complex systems to power our activities on Earth. Understanding the radiation belts and the dangers they pose to our technologies will help us design better ways to protect them. |
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The Radiation Belt Storm Probes Mission, part of NASA's Living With a Star program, will provide unprecedented insight into the physical dynamics of the radiation belts and give scientists the data they need to make predictions of changes in this critical region of space.
Beginning in 2011, two spacecraft will orbit the Earth, sampling the harsh radiation belt environment where major space weather activity occurs and many spacecraft operate.
The two spacecraft will measure the particles, magnetic and electric fields, and waves that fill geospace. Only with two spacecraft taking identical measurements and following the same path, can scientists begin to understand how the belts change in both space and time.
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