Living With a Star

Living With a Star
Name	Living With a Star
Mission type	Research program
Operator	NASA
Launch	2010s–present
Status	Active
Website	NASA Living With a Star

Living With a Star

Living With a Star is a NASA heliophysics program for studying the Sun–Earth connection and solar variability. The program coordinates missions, experiments, and collaborations to investigate solar processes, heliospheric dynamics, and their effects on planetary environments. It involves partnerships among NASA, European Space Agency, NOAA, JAXA, CSA (Canada), UK Space Agency, and academic institutions such as Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of Colorado Boulder.

Overview

The program originated from strategic recommendations by panels including the National Research Council, the Decadal Survey (Astronomy and Astrophysics), and the Decadal Survey (Solar and Space Physics), linking to operational frameworks like the Heliophysics Division (NASA), the Science Mission Directorate, and advisory groups such as the Heliophysics Advisory Committee. Key missions include spacecraft and instruments associated with Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, Solar Dynamics Observatory, and flight projects developed with teams at Goddard Space Flight Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Ames Research Center. Program elements draw on expertise from research centers like Southwest Research Institute, Applied Physics Laboratory, Lockheed Martin, and universities including Harvard University, Princeton University, Cornell University, California Institute of Technology, University of California, Berkeley, University of Michigan, University of Texas at Austin, Boston University, University of Arizona, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Maryland, College Park, Northwestern University, Columbia University, Yale University, Johns Hopkins University, Rutgers University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Colorado, University of California, Los Angeles, University of California, Santa Cruz, University of California, San Diego, University of California, Santa Barbara, University of Hawaii, University of Minnesota, University of California, Irvine, University of California, Santa Cruz.

Solar Influence on Earth's Environment

Research under the program examines solar radiation, solar wind, and coronal mass ejections and their links to terrestrial magnetospheric processes studied in coordination with missions like Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission, THEMIS, Van Allen Probes, ACE, WIND, and observatories such as Mount Wilson Observatory, Palomar Observatory, Mauna Kea Observatories, Arecibo Observatory, Green Bank Observatory, and facilities like VLA. Scientists analyze data using models developed at NASA Ames Research Center, Goddard Institute for Space Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, and collaborations with institutions such as Max Planck Society, CNRS, DLR, RIKEN, Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Australian National University, University of Tokyo, and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. Studies tie into historical solar events like the Carrington Event, comparisons with stellar variability observed by Kepler Mission, and contextualize impacts referenced in works associated with Richard Feynman, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, Eugene Parker, Hannes Alfvén, E.O. Hulburt.

Space Weather and Technological Impacts

Program outputs inform assessments of space weather effects on satellites, navigation, and power grids, intersecting with agencies and entities such as Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Defense, European Space Agency, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, International Space Station, SpaceX, Boeing, Airbus, Intel Corporation, IBM, Google, Amazon (company), AT&T, Verizon Communications, Tesla, Inc., and utilities like Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Consolidated Edison, National Grid (UK), Edison International, Southern Company. Operational forecasting leverages satellites and ground systems developed by NOAA and partners like US Air Force, US Navy, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and international mission teams at European Southern Observatory, Indian Space Research Organisation, Roscosmos, China National Space Administration. Case studies reference historic outages linked to geomagnetic storms such as events impacting Quebec (1977–1989) grids, analyses by Royal Academy of Engineering, and standards from bodies like IEEE and International Telecommunication Union.

Human Health and Biological Effects

Investigations encompass radiation exposure risks for crews on missions like Apollo program, Space Shuttle, Skylab, Orion (spacecraft), Artemis program and analog studies by institutions including NASA Johnson Space Center, European Astronaut Centre, Roscosmos Cosmonaut Training Center, and biomedical groups at Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, Karolinska Institute, Imperial College London. Research interfaces with space medicine literature from figures such as Christa McAuliffe's legacy, studies led by Scott Kelly, Yuri Gagarin's flight records, and long-duration investigations tied to International Space Station missions. Effects on terrestrial biology are probed through experiments at Salk Institute, Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Smithsonian Institution, and field campaigns coordinated with agencies like NOAA National Ocean Service.

Monitoring and Prediction Programs

Monitoring relies on heliophysics assets including observatories and satellites like Solar Dynamics Observatory, Parker Solar Probe, Solar Orbiter, STEREO, SOHO, GOES-R Series, DSCOVR, Deep Space Climate Observatory, Juno, Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN, and ground networks such as Global Oscillation Network Group, SuperMAG, Magnetometer Network, International GNSS Service, Incoherent Scatter Radar, and facilities like Arecibo Observatory. Data assimilation and prediction employ centers including Space Weather Prediction Center, Community Coordinated Modeling Center, European Space Weather Centre, UK Met Office, CIFS (Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre), and incorporate modeling frameworks from MIT, Princeton University, University of Michigan, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Argonne National Laboratory.

Mitigation, Adaptation, and Policy

Policy responses draw on guidance from organizations such as United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, International Civil Aviation Organization, World Meteorological Organization, United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, European Commission, U.S. Congress, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and regulatory bodies including Federal Communications Commission and National Transportation Safety Board. Technical mitigation measures reference engineering standards used by Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, General Electric, Siemens, Schneider Electric, and infrastructure resilience programs at Department of Energy and Department of Homeland Security. Adaptation strategies integrate research outputs into planning by municipalities like New York City, Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, Paris, Beijing, Mumbai, and international frameworks such as the Paris Agreement and risk assessments by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Category:NASA programs