DURHAM, N.H. (AP) – The University of New Hampshire has received the largest single research grant in its history – $38 million from NASA to build instruments to study the magnetic shield around the Earth.

As part of an international team from 12 institutes, space scientists at UNH will build instruments for a fleet of four spacecraft to study the shield, called the magnetosphere. It protects the Earth from solar and cosmic radiation.

During the next eight years, UNH scientists, engineers and students will help build instruments designed to measure electric fields and electron drifts and controls for other instruments.

The spacecraft are scheduled to be launched in 2013.