Launching an ICON

Music credit: Design Principle by Wayne RobertsComplete transcript available. NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON launches in fall 2018. It orbits above the upper atmosphere, through the bottom edge of near-Earth space. From this vantage point, ICON observes both the upper atmosphere and a layer of charged particles called the ionosphere, which extends from about 50 to 360 miles above the surface of Earth. Processes in the ionosphere also create bright swaths of color in the sky, known as airglow. ICON will observe how interactions between Earth's weather and the ionosphere create such shimmering airglow as well as other changes in the space environment. Find more views of the ionosphere from the International Space Station at The Crew Earth Observations Video Page Related pages

Closeup view of Earth from the perspective of the GOLD instrument. This version interpolates the IRI model to a higher time cadence for a smoother animation. Closeup view of Earth from the perspective of the GOLD instrument. Color bar of singly-ionized atomic oxygen density. Closeup view of Earth from the perspective of the GOLD instrument. This version has no satellites. A view of Earth from the point-of-view of the GOLD (Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk) instrument in geostationary orbit. This mission will conduct measurements of ionospheric composition to better understand the connection between space weather and its terrestrial impacts.ICON (Ionospheric Connections Explorer) orbits much closer to Earth. The colors over Earth represent model data from the IRI (International Reference Ionosphere) model of the density of the singly-ionized oxygen atom at an altitude of 350 kilometers. Red represents high density. The ion density is enhanced above and below the geomagnetic equator (not perfectly aligned with the geographic equator) on the dayside due to the ionizing effects of solar ultraviolet radiation combined with the effects of high-altitude winds and the geomagnetic field. This ion density decreases at night as the ions recombine with free electrons. At the limb of Earth, we present a cross-sectional profile of the density enhancement. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2018/two-heads-are-better-than-one-icon-gold-teaming-up-to-explore-earths-interface-to-space) Related pages