The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will launch its Deep Space Climate Observatory space weather satellite on July 27 after it completed its instrument validation.
DSCOVR will work to monitor approaching space weather storms that can possibly harm Earth, the Commerce Department said Friday.
The department added that the satellite is designed to measure solar wind speed, density and temperature, as well as the strength and direction of the solar wind’s magnetic field, and provide geomagnetic storm warnings through its Faraday Cup plasma sensor and magnetometer.
The data that the satellite will gather will support real-time online forecasts to help send space weather warnings and alert before the solar storms hits the earth, the Commerce Department said.
“Even though the sun is 93 million miles away, activity on the surface of the sun can have significant impacts here on Earth,†said Tom Berger, NOAA’s space weather prediction center director.
“Severe space weather can disrupt power grids, marine and aviation navigation, satellite operations, GPS systems and communication technologies. DSCOVR will allow us to deliver more  timely, accurate, and actionable geomagnetic storm warnings, giving people time to prevent damage and disruption of important technological systems.â€