Southwest Research Institute to supply NOAA coronagraphs

SAN FRANCISCO – The San Antonio-based Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) won a $60 million contract to build three coronagraphs for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Under the contract, awarded Nov. 14 by NASA on behalf of NOAA, SwRI will design, develop, build and test coronagraphs for the Lagrange 1 Series project, part of NOAA’s Space Weather Next program.

In addition, SwRI will support the launch and provide ground support at NOAA’s Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, Maryland. The coronagraphs, like the other Space Weather Next instruments, are designed to gather data for NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, which issues forecasts, alerts and warnings of geomagnetic activity like the May 10 and 11 storms . The value of the SwRI cost-plus-fixed-fee contract is approximately $60 million, according to a NOAA news release.



The contract’s performance period ends in January 2034, after the launch of the second coronagraph. The third coronagraph is a flight spare. Coronagraphs provide alerts of coronal mass ejections headed for Earth, which can disrupt satellite operations, the terrestrial power grid and telecommunications.

Space Weather Next Lagrange 1 is designed to provide continuity for observations of the coronagraph on the Space Weather follow-on Lagrange 1 mission, scheduled for launch in 2025. NOAA and NASA share responsibilities for the Space Weather Next program. NOAA provides funding and requirements in addition to managing the program and disseminating data.

NASA oversees develop and construction of the instruments and spacecraft, while also providing launch services. SwRI also is building the QuickSounder satellite to house an Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder engineering development unit refurbished by manufacturer Northrop Grumman. QuickSounder is scheduled to launch no earlier than February 2026.

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