NASA Launches Mission to Study Mysterious Black Auroras

The Black and Diffuse Auroral Science Surveyor (BADASS) will analyze electric currents in the atmosphere.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

NASA has launched a new mission called the Black and Diffuse Auroral Science Surveyor (BADASS) to study the rare phenomenon of black auroras. Unlike the colorful Aurora Borealis, black auroras appear as dark patches in the sky where charged particles from the Sun simply pass through the atmosphere without interacting with gases. The mission will analyze how electric currents move up and down in the atmosphere, which can impact satellites and space weather.

Why it matters

Understanding black auroras could provide valuable insights into the complex interactions between the Earth's magnetic field and the Sun's charged particles. This knowledge can help scientists better predict and mitigate the impacts of solar storms and space weather on satellites and other space-based technologies.

The details

The BADASS mission launched two rockets on February 9th, 2026 - one to study the Aurora Borealis in the northern hemisphere and another to observe the Aurora Australis in the southern hemisphere. The goal is to analyze how electric currents flow in the atmosphere during these events, as the charged particles from the Sun can sometimes simply pass through without creating the colorful light displays.

  • The BADASS mission launched two rockets on February 9th, 2026.
  • The author took photos of the Aurora Borealis in January 2025 and November 2025.

The players

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and space research.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Understanding black auroras and the complex atmospheric interactions that create them could lead to important breakthroughs in predicting and mitigating the impacts of solar storms and space weather on critical satellite and space-based technologies.