Posted: Sat, Jun 20, 2026, 10:14 AM ET (1414 GMT)
NASA has selected a space science mission for development. NASA announced Thursday the Dynamic Atmosphere-Ionosphere Explorer, or DAPHNE, mission will proceed into the next phase of development, with a launch planned for no earlier than 2029. DAPHNE will fly two identical satellites with instruments to study conditions in the thermosphere, allowing scientists to examine the interaction of space weather with Earth's atmosphere. The mission, led by the University of Colorado, has a cost cap of $250 million. NASA's heliophysics division recently announced a change in strategy, shifting towards more applied science applications.

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