NSO Receives $19M from NSF to Design Next-Generation Solar Observing Network

The National Solar Observatory (NSO) has received $19 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to design the Next-Generation Ground-based Solar Observing Network (ngGONG). This state-of-the-art system will provide multi-decade, 24/7 monitoring of the Sun, revolutionizing solar science and space weather forecasting.

Planned as the successor to the long-running GONG network, ngGONG will feature six globally distributed stations and advanced instruments to measure solar magnetic fields, probe the Sun’s interior through helioseismology, and support space weather prediction efforts.

“Understanding the extreme physics of the Sun is the key to predicting solar storms that could threaten Earth,” said Megan Johnson, NSF NSO program director. “Our hope is that ngGONG will fulfill both roles—advancing science and protecting society—for decades to come.”

The network will serve as a platform for innovation, long-term solar variability records, and new insights into stellar activity, helping safeguard technology on Earth while expanding fundamental solar research.