NASA has announced a new research mission that will send a group of small satellites into orbit to study the mysterious phenomenon of solar particle storms. The mission will use a constellation of six solar powered satellites the size of toaster ovens, called CubeSats, to collect data on low-frequency emissions from the sun. The models will be used to try and create better predictions for when solar particle storms might form. Solar particle storms occur when large streams of protons are ejected from the surface of the sun, which have enough energy to penetrate the Earth's magnetosphere. Solar radiation storms can also disrupt space stations and spacecraft.

Source: Daily Mail March 31, 2020 20:35 UTC