NASA and NOAA have built a layered monitoring system to protect the crew in real time. NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center will provide specialized decision-support for the entire mission, working directly with NASA's Space Radiation Analysis Group at Johnson Space Center in Houston. Meanwhile, NASA's Moon to Mars Space Weather Analysis Office at Goddard Space Flight Center will continuously assess solar eruptions and share findings with the Johnson team.
"Our focus will be real-time space weather analysis, prioritizing solar energetic particles and events that could produce them," said Mary Aronne, operations lead for the Goddard office. "We're looking for the trigger, which would typically be a flare or a coronal mass ejection."
The teams will draw on data from spacecraft positioned across the solar system, including NASA's Perseverance rover on Mars, which can observe sunspots on the far side of the Sun up to two weeks before they rotate into Earth's view.
Orion's Built-In Defenses
Inside the Orion capsule, six radiation sensors measure dose rates across the cabin, while astronauts will wear personal dosimeters. If radiation levels spike, onboard systems trigger audible alarms. At higher thresholds, the crew is trained to reconfigure their cabin, repositioning stowed equipment to add shielding mass between themselves and incoming particles — a procedure that will be tested for the first time on this mission.
The baseline radiation exposure from passing through the Van Allen belts and galactic cosmic rays is expected to be comparable to a one-month stay on the International Space Station, roughly 5 percent of an astronaut's career limit, according to NASA. Any solar storm exposure would add to that total.
A Volatile Sun Adds Urgency
The Sun is in an active phase of Solar Cycle 25, and some researchers have argued NASA should delay the flight. A team led by Dr. Victor Velasco Herrera of the National Autonomous University of Mexico warned that a high-risk window for powerful eruptions could extend through mid-2026. NASA has pressed ahead with an April 1 launch window opening at 6:24 p.m. EDT, with backup opportunities through April 6. NOAA has issued a moderate geomagnetic storm watch for March 31 following the latest flare.
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