Glesener and Savage, two scientists who specialize in studying solar flares, are preparing to launch separate rockets equipped with instruments designed to gather vital information on these explosions on the sun. These charged particles can sometimes cause auroras on Earth or disrupt satellites and power grids.
As they monitor live readings from satellites orbiting the sun, Glesener and Savage are waiting for a large solar flare to occur before launching their rockets. However, on this particular day, there are no significant flares predicted, so they are using the time to address any issues and make adjustments to their equipment.
While the weather in Chatanika is sunny, satellite data indicates that there are no major solar flares heading towards Earth. Despite this, Glesener and Savage are treating today as a practice run for when a real flare occurs. They understand that they will eventually have to make the decision to launch the rockets when the time is right. Solar flares typically last about ten minutes, and once the rockets are launched, they will quickly leave Earth’s atmosphere to get a clearer view of the flares using their telescopes.
The rockets will remain above the dense atmosphere for only five minutes, allowing the instruments to collect valuable data on the solar flares. After this brief observation period, the rockets will descend back to Earth in Alaska, where workers will recover the rocket stages and parachutes using helicopters. Glesener and Savage are focused on gathering the best possible information on solar flares to further our understanding of this natural phenomenon.
Glesener and Savage’s work is critical in helping us better predict and prepare for these powerful events that can impact our technology infrastructure and cause harm if not handled properly.