ICON will perform a two-year mission to observe conditions in both the thermosphere and ionosphere.
ICON is equipped with four instruments: a Michelson interferometer, built by the United States Naval Research Laboratory, measures the winds and temperatures in the thermosphere; an ion drift meter, built by UT Dallas, measures the motion of charged particles in the ionosphere; and two ultraviolet imagers built at UC Berkeley, observe the airglow layers in the upper atmosphere in order to determine both ionospheric and thermospheric density and composition.

Many low-Earth orbiting satellites, including the International Space Station (ISS), fly through the ionosphere and can be affected by its changing electric and magnetic fields.
The ionosphere also acts as a conduit for many communications signals, such as radio waves and the signals that make GPS systems work.
The ionosphere is where space weather manifests, creating unexpected conditions; electric currents can cause electrical charging of satellites, changing density can affect satellite orbits, and shifting magnetic fields can induce current in power systems, causing strain, disrupting communications and navigation or even triggering blackouts.
Improved understanding of this environment can help predict such events and improve satellite safety and design.
ICON will perform a two-year mission to observe conditions in both the thermosphere and ionosphere. ICON is equipped with four instruments: a Michelson interferometer, built by the United States Naval Research Laboratory, measures the winds and temperatures in the thermosphere; an ion drift meter, built by UT Dallas, measures the motion of charged particles in the ionosphere; and two ultraviolet imagers built at UC Berkeley, observe the airglow layers in the upper atmosphere in order to determine both ionospheric and thermospheric density and composition.
Many low-Earth orbiting satellites, including the International Space Station (ISS), fly through the ionosphere and can be affected by its changing electric and magnetic fields. The ionosphere also acts as a conduit for many communications signals, such as radio waves and the signals that make GPS systems work. The ionosphere is where space weather manifests, creating unexpected conditions; electric currents can cause electrical charging of satellites, changing density can affect satellite orbits, and shifting magnetic fields can induce current in power systems, causing strain, disrupting communications and navigation or even triggering blackouts. Improved understanding of this environment can help predict such events and improve satellite safety and design.
Ionospheric Connection Explorer