NASA's Coronal Diagnostic Experiment (CODEX) is providing unprecedented insights into the Sun's outer atmosphere, or corona, from the International Space Station (ISS). Installed in November 2024, CODEX studies the solar wind by measuring the temperature and speed of electrons in the corona.
Recent data from CODEX reveal that the solar corona exhibits dynamic, non-uniform flows of hot plasma. This discovery enhances our understanding of space weather phenomena that can impact Earth and space-based technologies. The instrument is a collaboration between NASA, the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI), and the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF).
By observing the Sun's corona, CODEX aims to unravel the mysteries of solar wind formation and its acceleration, contributing to improved space weather forecasting. As of June 2025, CODEX continues to operate on the ISS, transmitting valuable data that will inform future solar research.