Meredith Garofalo
Latest articles by Meredith Garofalo
GOES-U satellite launch this month will bring a solar activity monitor to space
By Meredith Garofalo published
"Without these spaceborne observations, we would be blind to where activity is on the sunspots."
The GOES-U satellite will catch a ride to space on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket
By Meredith Garofalo published
For the first time, a NOAA satellite will launch on SpaceX's powerhouse vehicle.
Billion-dollar disasters have been sweeping across the US this year
By Meredith Garofalo published
There have been nearly a dozen billion-dollar disasters so far this year, with two powerful severe weather events adding to the list in May.
Radiation will be a real challenge for Mars colonists, powerful solar storm shows
By Meredith Garofalo published
A powerful solar storm in May 2024 created auroras on Mars and provided scientists with crucial information that could aid future crewed missions to the Red Planet.
Solar flare blasts out strongest radiation storm since 2017
By Meredith Garofalo published
The sunspot that produced the historic geomagnetic storm that led to May's global auroras has made headlines again, producing the strongest radiation storm since 2017.
Virgin Galactic launches VSS Unity space plane on final suborbital spaceflight with crew of 6 (photos, video)
By Meredith Garofalo last updated
Virgin Galactic launched its seventh commercial spaceflight mission on June 8 during the final flight of its VSS Unity suborbital spaceplane.
SpaceX wants to build 1 Starship megarocket a day with new Starfactory
By Meredith Garofalo published
During a successful fourth flight test of Starship this week, SpaceX stated another big goal: Building one megarocket a day at its new Starfactory.
Powerful new NOAA weather satellite set for June launch atop SpaceX Falcon Heavy
By Meredith Garofalo published
NOAA is set to launch an advanced new weather satellite on June 25 when its GOES-U spacecraft launches atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Alabama high school students win world's largest rocketry challenge
By Meredith Garofalo published
High school students in Russellville, Alabama win the American Rocketry Challenge after months of designing and building a victorious rocket.
US economy to benefit from NASA investment in 3D-printable superalloy
By Meredith Garofalo published
"Adoption of this alloy will lead to more sustainable aviation and space exploration."
2024 hurricane season should be busy, NOAA says
By Meredith Garofalo published
With La Nina conditions evolving in the Pacific and near-record warm waters in the Atlantic, scientists expect the 2024 hurricane season to be a busy one.
How can space travel lead to medical breakthroughs? Veteran astronaut explains
By Meredith Garofalo published
Sierra Space Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tom Marshburn shares how medical research in space makes a difference here on Earth.
Plants signal NASA satellites with waning 'glow' ahead of flash drought
By Meredith Garofalo published
NASA scientists have discovered signs of an impending flash drought months before the onset by observing the brightness of "glowing" plants from space.
NASA astronauts practice 'moonwalking' in the Arizona desert (photos)
By Meredith Garofalo published
NASA astronauts headed to Arizona desert to rehearse moonwalks and test technology for the Artemis mission.
Massive sunspot that brought widespread auroras to Earth now targets Mars
By Meredith Garofalo published
After quite the aurora experience across Earth this past weekend, beastly sunspot AR3664 could give Mars quite the same solar spectacular.
Here we go again — new sunspot regions emerge, strong solar flare recorded
By Meredith Garofalo published
With the decrease of potential impacts from AR 3664, forecasters are monitoring new sunspot regions developing on the eastern half of the sun.
Huge, solar flare-launching sunspot has rotated away from Earth. But will it return?
By Meredith Garofalo published
The behemoth sunspot AR3664 has finally rotated out of Earth's view, firing off two more big solar storms on its way out the door. Will it come back?
How do you forecast a solar storm? Space weather experts explain
By Meredith Garofalo published
While the weekend solar event gave us quite the show in the night sky, it also helps scientists learn more about space weather to continue to improve forecasts.
Sun unleashes massive X8.7 solar flare, biggest of current cycle, from super-active monster sunspot (video)
By Meredith Garofalo published
A monster sunspot on the sun's surface just won't quit, erupting yet again this week with a whopping X8.7-class solar flare on Tuesday (May 14).
How a giant sunspot unleashed solar storms that spawned global auroras that just dazzled us all
By Meredith Garofalo published
Intense solar activity generated the most extreme geomagnetic storm since 2003 on Friday (May 10), and the action could continue into this week. Here's how it happened.
'Extreme' solar storms cook up sweet Mother's Day auroras for Moms everywhere
By Meredith Garofalo last updated
Want to save all the calories from Mother's Day brunch? You can still "sweeten" her holiday with an opportunity to see the northern lights again tonight!
The stormy sun erupts with its biggest solar flare yet from a massive sunspot — and it's still crackling (video)
By Meredith Garofalo published
Just when we think we’ve seen the most powerful of flares from a colossal sunspot, the sun unleashed kicked off the strongest eruption of the weekend yet and is still crackling with solar storms.
Watch monster flare-spewing sunspot grow to be 15 times wider than Earth (video)
By Meredith Garofalo published
A beastly sunspot that's 15 times the diameter of Earth remains highly active — and you might be able to spot it with your eclipse glasses!
4 large incoming solar bursts could supercharge the auroras this weekend
By Meredith Garofalo published
The NOAA has bumped up its geomagnetic storm watch for May 11 to a "rare" level as solar activity continues at high levels and at least four coronal mass ejections propel toward Earth.
Sierra Space's 1st Dream Chaser space plane aces key tests. Next stop: Florida launch site.
By Meredith Garofalo published
Sierra Space's first Dream Chaser space plane has finished rigorous environmental testing in Ohio and is being prepped for the journey to its Florida launch site.
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