NASA’s PUNCH punches up space weather forecasts

NASA introduced the PUNCH mission (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere), which aims to improve space weather forecasts. The mission focuses on observing the solar corona and heliosphere, which are key areas for understanding space weather. PUNCH enables scientists to better understand the processes that lead to solar flares and coronal mass ejections. These phenomena can significantly affect Earth and its technologies. Improved space weather forecasts are important for protecting satellites, power grids, and other critical infrastructure. The research was published in the journal Science in August 2026.