NASA is preparing to launch the Lunar Environment Heliospheric X-ray Imager (LEXI) on January 15 aboard Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Lander. This mission aims to capture the first global images of Earth's magnetic field as it interacts with solar wind.
LEXI will detect low-energy X-rays reflecting off Earth's magnetosphere from the moon's surface for six days. According to Hyunju Connor, an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, this will allow scientists to observe the magnetosphere 'breathing' in and out in response to solar activity.
The magnetosphere, generated by the motion of molten metal in Earth's core, protects the planet from harmful cosmic rays and solar wind. However, when solar wind is intense, the magnetosphere compresses, and it expands when the wind weakens. This dynamic interaction can lead to geomagnetic storms, which may create auroras but also disrupt electronics and satellite operations.
Understanding these processes is crucial for protecting infrastructure in space. LEXI previously launched in 2012 as STORM to gather X-ray images, and after refurbishing key components, it is set for its upcoming mission. Brian Walsh, LEXI's principal investigator, emphasized the importance of making complex physics accessible through visible scientific data.