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NASA's PUNCH: How 4 suitcase-sized satellites might save Earth from space disaster

Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh

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Space Storm Watch

PUNCH will track solar storms in 3D, offering real-time warnings that could protect satellites, astronauts, and power grids from devastating space weather.

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Sun’s Secret Winds

Four suitcase-sized satellites will create a massive virtual telescope, capturing the Sun’s corona and solar wind like never before.

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Cosmic Collaboration

NASA’s PUNCH mission uses four synchronized spacecraft, working together like a single giant instrument to reveal solar storms in stunning detail.

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Invisible Unveiled

Cutting-edge imaging tech will strip away cosmic noise, making the nearly invisible solar wind finally visible for scientists to study.

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Space Hurricane Hunters

PUNCH aims to revolutionize space weather forecasting, just like geosynchronous satellites transformed Earth’s storm predictions.

8,000-Mile Telescope

Since a giant Earth-sized telescope wasn’t feasible, NASA spread out four small satellites to simulate one—spanning 8,000 miles in orbit.

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Blinding Light Blocked

Specialized coronagraphs and deep baffles cut sunlight by a factor of 10 million billion, allowing PUNCH to capture the faintest cosmic phenomena.

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Tracking Solar Tsunamis

PUNCH will map coronal mass ejections in 3D, giving scientists a precise way to measure their speed and trajectory toward Earth.

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Mission Countdown

Launching no earlier than Feb. 28, PUNCH could redefine how we see the Sun—and how we prepare for its powerful, unpredictable outbursts.