BAE Systems to Build Spacecraft for NOAA’s Space Weather Next L1 Series Mission

BAE Systems to Build Spacecraft for NOAA’s Space Weather Next L1 Series Mission

(IN BRIEF) BAE Systems has been chosen to design and build the spacecraft bus for NOAA’s Space Weather Next L1 Series mission. Set for launch in 2029, the mission will enhance NOAA’s space weather forecasting capabilities and provide critical data to protect both terrestrial and space-based assets from solar events like solar flares and coronal mass ejections.

(PRESS RELEASE) FARNBOROUGH, 27-Feb-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — BAE Systems (LON: BA), a British multinational defence, security, and aerospace company, has been chosen to design and build the spacecraft bus for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Next L1 Series mission, slated for launch in 2029. This initiative is set to bolster NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) with vital data for the early detection of space weather phenomena, ultimately helping safeguard both terrestrial and space-based assets.

The satellite, to be stationed at the sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1), will continuously monitor solar activity, including coronal mass ejections, solar flares, and solar wind. Positioned in a stable gravitational location between Earth and the sun, the spacecraft will provide near-real-time data on solar events, enabling forecasts on geomagnetic storms and offering opportunities to mitigate the impacts of space weather.

Dr. Alberto Conti, Vice President and General Manager of Civil Space for BAE Systems, commented on the mission’s importance: “As reliance on space technologies grows, ensuring the protection of critical infrastructure in space and on Earth becomes even more vital. The Space Weather Next L1 Series will play a pivotal role in safeguarding these assets from space weather hazards.”

Space weather is caused by solar activity that can disrupt systems such as communication networks, GPS, and power grids. These events can also damage spacecraft and expose astronauts to dangerous radiation. With the L1 Series mission, NOAA aims to provide real-time data to mitigate these risks and allow stakeholders to better prepare for disruptions caused by solar weather.

In addition to constructing the spacecraft bus, BAE Systems will manage spacecraft integration and environmental testing, while also providing launch support. The spacecraft will host a suite of at least five instruments, supplied by mission partners, designed to monitor and detect potentially harmful space weather.

This mission builds on BAE Systems’ long-standing relationship with NOAA and NASA, including its work on the upcoming SWFO-L1 mission, set for launch in 2025. BAE also developed the spacecraft for NASA’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, which will study the Earth’s exosphere and its reaction to solar activity.

Scheduled for launch in 2029, the L1 Series mission is the latest in BAE Systems’ contributions to advancing heliophysics and space weather forecasting.

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SOURCE: BAE Systems