Headline looks over the top, but really it isn’t. What we don’t know about magnetic reconnection may kill us; at least in much of the developed world where we depend on the power grid functioning for our basic food infrastructure. This is essential research that may save civilization from catastrophe some day in the not too distant future. It also might help clear the way for successfully using nuclear fusion to generate clean power, which might end up an essential part of protecting our planet for future generations. Unlike populating Mars, this is truly important work NASA is doing.

Usually, the phrase “hard to overstate the importance” is wildly hyperbolic. But not here, I think.

http://news.discovery.com/space/nasa-to-launch-satellites-into-powerful-magnetic-explosions-150311.htm

NASA to Launch Satellites into Powerful Magnetic Explosions : DNews

Michael K Johnson March 12, 2015 06:28

To be clear: article is from yesterday. Launch prediction is 70% chance today, launch window 30 minutes starting at 10:44 this evening Eastern time.

Found another article at Scientific American:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/launch-tomorrow-for-satellites-set-to-solve-earth-s-magnetic-mysteries/

Imported from Google+ — content and formatting may not be reliable