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About RAX
The Radio Aurora Explorer (RAX) is a satellite mission funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study space weather. RAX is a joint effort between the University of Michigan and SRI International. The primary mission objective is to study plasma instabilities that lead to magnetic field-aligned irregularities (FAI) of electron density in the lower polar thermosphere (80-300 km). These irregularities are known to disrupt communication and navigation signals. The RAX mission will use a network of existing ground radars that will scatter signals off the FAI to be measured by a receiver on the RAX spacecraft. The satellite will be a 3kg Cubesat. RAX is scheduled for a launch in April 2010.