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July 17, 2025

Vigil: Space weather reporter launches in deep space

Credit: European Space Agency
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Credit: European Space Agency

Space weather probe Vigil will be the world's first space weather mission to be permanently positioned at Lagrange point 5, a unique vantage point that allows us to see solar activity days before it reaches Earth. ESA's Vigil mission will be a dedicated operational space weather mission, sending data 24/7 from deep space.

at its unique location in will drastically improve forecasting abilities. From there, Vigil can see "around the corner" of the sun and observe activity on the surface of the sun days before it rotates into view from Earth. It can also watch the Sun-Earth line side-on, giving an earlier and clearer picture of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) heading toward Earth.

Radiation, plasma and particles flung towards Earth by the sun can pose a very real risk to our society relies on. This includes satellites for navigation, communications and as well as power grids and radio communication on the ground.

A by Lloyd's of London estimates that a severe space weather event, caused by such an outburst of solar activity, could cost the global economy 2.4 trillion dollars over five years.

Credit: European Space Agency

ESA's response to this growing threat is Vigil, a cornerstone mission of the agency's Space Safety Program, planned for launch in 2031. Vigil's data will give us drastically improved early warnings and forecasts, which in turn help protect satellites, astronauts and critical infrastructure on the ground that we all depend on.

Provided by European Space Agency

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The Vigil mission will be the first space weather probe stationed at Lagrange point L5, enabling continuous monitoring of solar activity before it affects Earth. Its unique position allows earlier detection of coronal mass ejections and improved forecasting, enhancing protection for satellites, power grids, and other critical infrastructure from solar-induced disruptions.

This summary was automatically generated using LLM.