Astronaut
Neil Armstrong left the first footprint on the moon.
The importance of "space weather"
was made clear in 1972, a year in which the Apollo space program
made two separate lunar landings. Between the two missions, solar
activity produced extremely high radiation levels. Had the Apollo
astronauts been on the moon during the blast, they probably would
not have survived.
Dr. Luhmann
explains how STEREO will provide a 3-D model
of the sun.
Scientists involved in the STEREO project hope that the data gathered
can help us better understand our changing sun, and the effect these changes
have on us here at earth. The ultimate goal is to be able to predict solar
mass ejections and other solar fluctuations. As we send more people and
equipment into space, accurate forecasts of "space weather"
will become ever more important.
Dr. Donald Michels
