Space Coast Engineers Support NASA in Monitoring Solar Storms
MELBOURNE, Fla. — Engineers in Brevard County are working with NASA to develop a cost-effective way to protect space technology from solar storms. These solar events can severely disrupt satellites, GPS systems, and even commercial flights.
Corbett Hoenninger, general manager of Argotec’s U.S. location, emphasized the need for budget-friendly solutions: “Can we do it for a fraction of the cost? Can we help the taxpayer out?”
Argotec, an Italian company known for creating the ISSpresso, the first espresso machine for space, recently opened a facility in Melbourne focused on manufacturing components for small satellites.
Their upcoming mission is a significant step for NASA, aiming to enhance the monitoring of solar storms that can directly affect satellites. With today’s reliance on satellite technology for almost everything—from smartphones to cars—disruptions from solar storms can have far-reaching impacts.
If successful, NASA could deploy multiple small spacecraft to closely monitor solar activity, likening their role to “the paparazzi for those missions,” as Hoenninger put it.
