The current and pending detector sites sites are listed in this link. Click here to see more details on the map. Photos from the sites can be found the gLOWCOST Detector Sites page.

In the United States, the gLOWCOST network maintains a robust presence with numerous detectors operating throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area. The domestic network has also expanded to several key astronomical and educational sites:

• California: A detector was installed at Mt. Wilson in June 2023, followed by a deployment at Apache Point Observatory in February 2024.
• Massachusetts: On December 26, 2024, a detector was successfully deployed at Sky View Middle School.

Led by Dr. Megan Connors, the Massachusetts installation represents a significant milestone for the network: the first STEM outreach initiative involving a detector deployment outside the Atlanta region, further advancing the project’s mission of accessible science education.

A primary objective of the gLOWCOST network is the global deployment of portable, low-cost cosmic ray muon detectors. By creating a high-density worldwide array, the network enables precise, near real-time monitoring of space weather and dynamic fluctuations in the Earth’s upper atmosphere.

Beyond its scientific utility, the network offers several key benefits:

• Institutional Synergy: It provides vital, complementary data for NASA and other international space agencies, enhancing our collective ability to track and predict space weather events.
• Global STEM Outreach: The network serves as a premier platform for educational engagement, successfully bridging gaps across languages, cultures, and geographic distances to inspire the next generation of scientists.
• Scalability: Its emphasis on affordability ensures that high-level atmospheric research is accessible to institutions regardless of their budget or location.

The gLOWCOST network’s international expansion launched in March 2023 with the installation of its first detectors at Uva Wellassa University and the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka. By August 2023, the network reached South America at the University of Magdalena in Santa Marta, Colombia, and expanded into Southeast Asia with an installation in Singapore.

The growth accelerated through 2024 and 2025 across several continents:

• Africa: A deployment in Abuja, Nigeria, in late April 2024.
• Europe: Two detectors were installed at the Institute of Physics in Belgrade, Serbia, in June 2024. The network reached Northern Europe in late September 2025 with an installation in Lund, Sweden.
• Japan: Expansion began at Nara Women’s University on April 23, 2025, followed by a second site at Shinshu University in June 2025.
• Turkey: A detector was placed at Istanbul University in June 2025. In mid-September, this unit was relocated to the Eastern Anatolia Observatory (Doğu Anadolu Gözlemevi), and a new detector was subsequently installed at Istanbul University in early October.
• India: Two detectors were deployed in late December 2025 at KL University and Hyderabad.

On April 1, 2026, the gLOWCOST network reached a significant milestone by installing two detectors in Bolivia. This deployment not only marked a major expansion into the Southern Hemisphere but also set a new record for the network’s highest altitude at 5,200 meters at the Chacaltaya Cosmic Ray Laboratory.

The near-term network expansion plan is to install one in South Africa (Stellenbosch) before summer 2026. A plan for installing a detector at Lancaster University in UK is under discussion.