The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder will partner with Momentus Space to host and operate the Occultation Wave Limb Sounder (OWLS) mission for its expected launch in 2027. The in‑orbit services provider based in San Jose, Calif., will deliver OWLS to its target orbit using its Vigoride-9 orbital service vehicle, reflecting the growing role of commercial partners in scientific missions.
The OWLS mission will provide the first direct look at how atmospheric gravity waves influence temperature and density in the middle and upper thermosphere—the upper atmosphere region where most satellites orbit. Because OWLS will study the same region where thousands of satellites operate, its findings could improve predictions of satellite orbits and help reduce risks from space debris.
“OWLS will provide key measurements of thermospheric gravity wave activity and temperature that scientists have never had before,” said LASP research scientist Ed Thiemann, OWLS principal investigator. “OWLS will open a new window into the upper atmosphere, providing critical measurements that will help scientists tackle the fundamental question of how Earth’s atmosphere interacts with space.”
Gravity waves form when disturbances—like storms or winds flowing over mountains—push air upward. As these waves travel higher, they can transfer energy and momentum into the thermosphere, allowing familiar weather patterns on Earth to affect the edge of space.
“It’s astonishing that storms over the Pacific can have any effect on astronauts aboard the International Space Station, yet gravity waves can carry their influence across those vast distances,” he added. “OWLS will, for the first time, measure how strong that influence actually is and provide a standard for testing future theories.”
Scientists have long suspected that the transfer of energy and momentum by gravity waves plays a major role in heating and cooling of the thermosphere, but direct measurements have been scarce.
OWLS aims to change that using two complementary instruments: the Extreme Ultraviolet Occultation Photometers (EUV‑OP) and the Compact Spectrograph for Occultations on Limb (CSOL). EUV‑OP measures temperature in the middle and upper thermosphere using extreme ultraviolet solar occultations. CSOL characterizes gravity wave activity in the lower and middle thermosphere through high‑resolution limb spectroscopy.
Working together, the instruments will provide the first direct observations of how gravity waves influence temperature, density, and energy transport in the upper atmosphere, allowing scientists to reconstruct the conditions there with unprecedented precision.
Solar occultation is a precise remote sensing technique that observes how sunlight is absorbed by atmospheric gases as the sun rises or sets behind a planetary limb, which is the horizon of a planet as observed from space.
Thiemann adds that gravity waves aren’t unique to Earth—they appear in nearly every substantial atmosphere in the solar system. “By understanding how these waves behave on Earth,” he said, “we take a meaningful step toward understanding atmospheric processes throughout the solar system.”
By Sara Pratt, LASP Sr. Communications Specialist
Founded a decade before NASA, the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder (LASP) is revolutionizing human understanding of the cosmos. LASP is deeply committed to inspiring and educating the next generation of space explorers. From the first exploratory rocket measurements of Earth’s upper atmosphere to trailblazing observations of every planet in the solar system, LASP continues to build on its remarkable history with a nearly $1 billion portfolio of new research and engineering programs.
