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August 27, 2025

Sault Area High School Students Contribute to NASA’s SunRISE Solar Weather Research

Sault Ste. Marie, MI — Students at Sault Area High School are making waves in space science. As a participant in NASA’s SunRISE Ground Radio Lab (GRL), the school is part of a national network of high schools helping monitor solar activity that could impact Earth’s technology infrastructure.

Sault Area High School is one of 18 schools nationwide selected to host a dual dipole antenna system, designed to detect solar radio bursts—early signals of geomagnetic storms capable of disrupting satellites, GPS navigation, and power grids. Students have been hands-on in assembling the antenna, conducting weekly data collection, and contributing to a growing scientific database used by researchers across the country.

“Our students aren’t just learning about space, they’re helping monitor it,” said a school spokesperson. “This program connects classroom learning to real-world science in a way that’s both exciting and meaningful.”

The initiative, led by the University of Michigan College of Engineering and supported by NASA’s SunRISE mission, provides students with:

Online training in radio astronomy
Monthly webinars with space scientists
A NASA certificate recognizing their contributions

More than 2,500 students nationwide are involved in the project, which aims to improve forecasting of space weather events that can have serious consequences for modern technology.

Sault Area High School’s involvement underscores its commitment to STEAM education and its role in preparing students for careers in science, engineering, and technology.

🔗 Learn more about the SunRISE Ground Radio Lab at https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024EA004114

sunrise.engin.umich.edu

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