With two science missions in the books this year, NASA is set to launch four spacecraft at one time next month to study the Earth's magnetosphere.
At Titusville-based Astrotech, crews are making sure the four spacecraft are ready for liftoff March 12. Much like the NASA mission that launched last week, they are designed to help scientists understand space weather.
The mission, known as Magnetospheric Multiscale observatories, will be the third of the year. The spacecraft will be deployed to help scientists understand how magnetic fields around the Earth connect and disconnect.
Scientists say solar wind from the sun collides with Earth's magnetosphere, converting magnetic energy into plasma energy through a magnetic explosion.
"The reason that it's important is these explosions drive a lot of the weather patterns that we see in the magnetosphere, and so what space scientists like to refer to as space weather, and these space weather phenomena can have impact on our everyday lives," said John Dorelli, a NASA scientist.
The explosions can impact communication satellites and power grids. The spacecraft are designed to hopefully predict when these magnetic explosions occur.
Launch of United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket is set for 10:40 a.m. March 12, from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
SpaceX is also set to launch communication satellites from the Space Coast on Feb. 27.