NASA Rocket Provides First Multi-Point Look Inside Radio-Disrupting Sporadic E Layers

Summary

A NASA sounding rocket mission, SpEED Demon, has provided the first multi-point observations of sporadic E layers, which are high-altitude metallic clouds that disrupt radio signals. The mission, launched in August 2022, used ejectable probes to simultaneously measure these unpredictable layers, offering new insights into their complex structure and impact on communication and GPS.