Space Weather & Physics

Topside Sounder

Commercial Applications

The proposed topside sounder makes primary measurements of the electron density distributions covering most of the ionosphere, throughout the world and for various solar and geophysical conditions. In SAR mode, it can precisely map ionospheric irregularities. This will: Direct observations of ionospheric features are crucial for various operations in communications, navigation, early warning, and radar. These are invaluable for agencies like the Navy, Air Force, Army, NSA, CIA, DISA, and NOAA. The data are also immense help to ionospheric scientists, radio and communications engineers, ionospheric modelers, radio amateurs, and the space-weather community. Finally, ionospheric predictions and information can help GPS users, radio users, satellite users, and electric utilities.

The data generated through this system could be sold through insurance providers. A network of such topside sounders would provide complete coverage for operational systems. Or the ionospheric data from one such topside sounder and from other sources could assimilate into a new generation of physical models to provide global ionospheric predictions. Data generated through such systems can be sold to space weather communities, to satellite and space insurance providers, utility providers, and radio users. Network of such sounders (six) will provide coverage for operational systems.