ICON Graphics

  • Released Thursday, May 24, 2018
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The Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, is a low-Earth orbiting satellite that will give us new information about how Earth’s atmosphere interacts with near-Earth space — a give-and-take that plays a major role in the safety of our satellites and reliability of communications signals.


Specifically, ICON investigates the connections between the neutral atmosphere — which extends from here near the surface to far above us, at the edge of space — and the electrically charged part of the atmosphere, called the ionosphere. The particles of the ionosphere carry electrical charge that can disrupt communications signals, cause satellites in low-Earth orbit to become electrically charged, and, in extreme cases, cause power outages on the ground.

Banner for online use featuring ICON observatory, airglow and globe.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith

Banner for online use featuring ICON observatory, airglow and globe.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith

Banner for online use featuring ICON observatory and airglow.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith

Banner for online use featuring ICON observatory and airglow.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith

Banner for online use featuring ICON observatory.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith

Banner for online use featuring ICON observatory.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith

ICON observes airglow from low-Earth orbit.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith

ICON observes airglow from low-Earth orbit.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith

ICON observes airglow from low-Earth orbit.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith

ICON observes airglow from low-Earth orbit.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith

ICON on a transparent background.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith

ICON on a transparent background.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith

ICON infographic and banner.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith

ICON infographic and banner.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith

Flier part 1/2ICON overview flier for media and outreach.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith

Flier part ½

ICON overview flier for media and outreach.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith

Flier part 2/2ICON overview flier for media and outreach.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith

Flier part 2/2

ICON overview flier for media and outreach.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith

Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

This page was originally published on Thursday, May 24, 2018.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:46 PM EDT.

Missions

This visualization is related to the following missions: