PUNCH Mission Pinpoints Solar Storm Arrivals to 30-Minute Margin
NASA's Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) constellation has demonstrated the ability to forecast Earth-arriving solar storms within about 30 minutes by analyzing a May 31, 2025 CME event with a model that uses CME edges, speed, and shape; PUNCH images CMEs every four minutes, tracking them from the Sun to Earth and markedly improving on the previous ~5-hour error. This initial proof of concept suggests further improvements could extend lead times, helping mitigate impacts on satellites, power grids, and communications.