Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
NASA’s PUNCH mission is officially active, with all four satellites working in sync to monitor the Sun’s corona and solar wind in unprecedented 3D detail.
PUNCH will capture 3D images of how the Sun’s outer atmosphere turns into solar wind, a stream of charged particles shaping space weather.
From stunning auroras to damaging satellite disruptions, space weather impacts life on Earth — and PUNCH will help predict and protect.
Launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 on March 11, PUNCH flew alongside NASA’s SPHEREx telescope, uniting two major missions studying cosmic origins.
The four PUNCH satellites form a "virtual telescope", working together to create continuous images of solar wind and explosive solar events.
PUNCH will release all data publicly, sharing solar images and findings via NASA’s Solar Data Analysis Center — open science for the world.
By tracking coronal mass ejections, PUNCH could improve aurora forecasts and help mitigate power grid failures and GPS disruptions.
Solar storms don’t just affect space—they impact Earth’s tech, from communications to navigation, making PUNCH’s mission crucial for modern life.
Led by Southwest Research Institute, PUNCH is a NASA Explorers Program mission, blending science, engineering, and global collaboration to unlock solar mysteries.