Five satellites at the heart of a unique mission that should greatly improve scientists' understanding of geomagnetic storms in Earth's magnetosphere, which can be highly disruptive to a variety of technologies and a health risk to astronauts, were shifting into orbits as far as halfway to the Moon following the successful Feb. 17 launch of a Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The quintet is designed to detect changes in Earth's space environment including charged particle accelerations and flows, and enhanced plasma waves, all of which occur when the Sun's corona is blasted toward Earth in both the steady stream of the solar wind and during solar storms.