NASA launched the Space Umbrella project to map Earth's magnetic shield using MMS mission data
The project aims to study solar storms and their interaction with Earth's magnetosphere
Citizen scientists can participate without prior experience through guided tutorials
Understanding space weather is crucial for protecting technology and astronauts during deep space missions
📖 Full Retelling
NASA has announced the Space Umbrella project on February 25, 2026, which will utilize data from the agency's Magnetosphere Multiscale (MMS) mission to map Earth's magnetic shield and study solar storms. This initiative aims to help scientists understand how solar wind interacts with Earth's magnetic field and potentially protect technological systems from space weather disruptions. The Sun regularly emits streams of charged particles known as solar wind from its upper atmosphere, the corona. While this interaction creates beautiful aurorae visible in both hemispheres, it can also interfere with modern technological systems including telecommunications, GPS navigation, and electrical power grids. Since 2015, NASA's MMS mission has been collecting valuable data on Earth's magnetosphere, focusing on magnetic reconnection—the phenomenon where the magnetic fields of the Sun and Earth periodically connect and disconnect, transferring energy between them. The Space Umbrella project invites participants to identify when the MMS spacecraft has observed the strongest interactions between Earth's magnetosphere and solar wind. This citizen science initiative comes at a critical time as space weather concerns grow for missions beyond Low Earth Orbit. With Artemis Program plans for sustained lunar exploration, and similar initiatives by China and Russia to establish an International Lunar Research Station, understanding space weather becomes increasingly vital for astronaut safety and mission success. 'Your work will also help scientists better understand solar storms,' according to the NASA press release. 'Understanding these solar storms can contribute to keeping our astronauts and technology safe.'
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the United States' civil space program and for research in aeronautics and space exploration. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., NASA operates ten field centers across th...
In astronomy and planetary science, a magnetosphere is a region of space surrounding an astronomical object, such as a planet or other object, in which charged particles are affected by that object's magnetic field. It is created by a celestial body with an active interior dynamo.
In the space envir...
A solar storm is a disturbance on the Sun, which can emanate outward across the heliosphere, affecting the entire Solar System, including Earth and its magnetosphere, and is the cause of space weather in the short-term with long-term patterns comprising space climate.
Map the Earth's Magnetic Shield with the Space Umbrella Project By Matthew Williams - February 25, 2026 12:02 AM UTC | Solar Astronomy The Sun regularly emits streams of charged particles (solar wind) from its upper atmosphere (the corona), which flow throughout the Solar System that interacts with Earth's magnetic field. This is what powers the beautiful aurorae visible in the Northern and Southern hemispheres ( Aurora Borealis and Australis . It can also play havoc with modern technological systems, including telecommunications, GPS navigation, and electrical power grids. Since 2015, NASA's Magnetosphere Multiscale mission has been collecting data on Earth's magnetosphere. The purpose of the mission is to investigate how the magnetic fields of the Sun and Earth periodically connect and disconnect, with energy transferred between them. This phenomenon, known as magnetic reconnection, is the decisive factor in space weather. To investigate the dynamic region where the Sun's and Earth's magnetic fields connect, NASA has announced the Space Umbrella project. Participants will help identify when the MMS spacecraft has observed the strongest interactions between Earth's magnetosphere and solar wind. In addition to potentially affecting satellites and grid systems, space weather is an increasing concern for missions venturing beyond Low Earth Orbit . This includes the Artemis Program, which will create a "sustained program of exploration and development" on the lunar surface, as well as similar plans by China and Russia to establish an International Lunar Research Station . There are similar considerations when it comes to missions to Mars and elsewhere in the Solar System beyond the protection of Earth's magnetic field. "Your work will also help scientists better understand solar storms," says the NASA press release . "Understanding these solar storms can contribute to keeping our astronauts and technology safe." Those interested are instructed to visit the Space Umbrel...
