Why NASA is launching 2 new satellites into space
The Earth's magnetosphere protects the planet from the constant bombardment of solar particles, known as solar wind. This magnetic shield usually keeps these dangerous particles from damaging and destroying our technological infrastructure. But there are weak spots in the shield above the North and South Poles called polar cusps. You can think of them as a front door or funnel for the solar winds to enter our atmosphere.
MORE: How global warming could threaten satellites, according to new study
When the Sun's particles enter this funnel, the Earth's and the Sun's magnetic fields can come into contact with one another and rearrange themselves in a process scientists call magnetic reconnection. If that occurs, a powerful explosion of energy is released, sometimes equivalent to an entire day's worth of power consumed in the United States. These events can trigger the dazzling auroras or, in some extreme cases, disable satellites and cause electrical grid failures. The Sun has been particularly active lately as it's reached the peak of its 11-year solar cycle.
To better understand how the magnetic reconnection process works and its impact on Earth, NASA is launching a pair of research satellites on Tuesday at 2:13 p.m. ET on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, as part of a ride-share mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The TRACERS mission, short for Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites, includes two spacecraft flying in close formation in low Earth orbit at speeds exceeding 16,000 miles per hour. One satellite will trail the other by just 10 to 120 seconds, allowing researchers to capture changes in space weather activity in near real time, according to David Miles, a professor at the University of Iowa and the principal investigator for TRACERS.
"So, we have two spacecraft. This is the novel part of TRACERS," explained Miles during a mission press conference.
MORE: New Biomass satellite will provide an unprecedented look at the planet's forests
"That gives us two closely spaced measurements that allow us to pick apart: Is something accelerating and slowing down? Is something moving around? Is something turning on and turning off?" he added.
Each satellite carries a suite of instruments and tools for measuring how the Sun's hot, ionized gas impacts the magnetosphere.
"What we will learn from TRACERS is critical for the understanding and eventually the predicting of how energy from our Sun impacts our Earth and our space and ground-based assets, whether it be GPS or communication signals, power grids, space assets and our astronauts working up in space. It's going to help us keep our way of life safe here on Earth and help to continue to enable safe space exploration," said Joe Westlake, NASA's director of Heliophysics.
The mission comes amid growing concern about the dangers of space weather and the possibility that solar storms could knock out communication systems, degrade GPS accuracy and damage power infrastructure on Earth. In the past, solar storms have been responsible for power blackouts, destroyed satellites and disruption to the GPS navigation system.
"Understanding our Sun and the space weather it produces is more important to us here on Earth than most realize. Every human on Earth, as well as nearly every system that's involved in space exploration and human needs, is affected by space weather," Westlake said.
MORE: How to increase your chances of seeing the northern lights as the current solar cycle peaks
The mission is part of NASA's Small Explorers program and is scheduled to last one year, but NASA says it could remain operational beyond those initial 12 months.
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
an hour ago
These 3 meteor showers are happening in late July: What to know
It may be the best time of year for stargazers to witness meteors blazing through the night sky. Late July will offer the chance to witness three separate meteor shower events happening at the same time, according to the American Meteor Society (AMS). Adding to the sky show, the moon will be in the evening sky and set before meteor activity is strongest, meaning its brightness won't diminish the visibility of the meteors, according to AMS. For best viewing, NASA advises spectators to lie flat on their backs in a region away from light pollution. Meteors should be visible after about 30 minutes, when eyes adjust to the darkness. The Alpha Capricornids The Alpha Capricornids are one of the two meteor showers peaking in late July. The minor shower began on July 7 and will last through Aug. 13, but is expected to peak on July 30, according to AMS. The Alpha Capricornids are known to produce fireballs -- typically three to five an hour, at maximum, astronomers say. Most of the shower members are faint, but some can appear brighter than any of the surrounding stars, according to AMS. The meteors appear slow-moving. In late July, the meteors radiate near the area of Alpha Capricorni, a double star visible to the naked eye. This area of the sky rises in the east at about 8 p.m. Local Daylight Time, but very little activity can be seen at this time because many of the meteors are blocked by the horizon. Astronomers recommend waiting to view the Alpha Capricornids until later at night, when the radiant -- where the meteor appears to originate from -- has gained more altitude and the moon has set, according to AMS. The radiant lies highest in the sky between midnight and 1 a.m. LDT. To find them at this time, look south. The Southern Delta Aquariids Night owls will benefit when searching for the Southern Delta Aquariids, according to AMS. To see them, look toward the radiant near southwestern Aquarius, just west of the star known as Delta Aquarii, about 40 degrees east of the Alpha Capricornids. They rise at about 10 p.m. LDT and are highest in the sky around 3 a.m. LDT. They will reach maximum activity on July 30 -- the same night as the Alpha Capricornids, according to AMS. But they are easier to differentiate from the Alpha Capricornids because they are much faster -- typically less than a second. Hourly rates around 3 a.m. on the morning of July 30 should be about five to 10 meteors, according to AMS. However, in the southern hemisphere, where the radiant lies overhead, rates can reach between 10 and 20 meteors per hour. The Southern Delta Aquariids began on July 19 and will run through Aug. 13. The Perseids The Perseids, considered by astronomers to be the best meteor shower of the year, began on July 17 and are expected to last until Aug. 23, according to AMS. They typically peak in mid-August. They are known for their fireballs -- large explosions of light and color that persist longer than an average meteor streak, according to NASA. Fireballs are brighter and originate from larger particles of cometary material. The Perseids' "swift and bright" meteors often leave streaks of light and color behind as they track through the sky, according to AMS. They originate from the debris left behind by the comet Swift-Tuttle as it orbits the sun every 133 years. The Perseids can be viewed all over the night sky but are best seen from the Northern Hemisphere during the pre-dawn hours, according to NASA. To find them, look toward the constellation Perseus, where the radiant of the Perseids appears to originate. This year, the Perseids are expected to peak around Aug. 12, according to
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
NASA's X-59 moves under its own power
July 22 (UPI) -- NASA's quest for a quieter supersonic jet passed an early test after its X-59 aircraft was able to taxi at low speed at a manufacturing plant in California. The space agency on Tuesday announced the latest milestone for NASA's X-59 that is part of its Quesst mission to test the possibility of a supersonic aircraft with more muted sonic booms that will allow less noisy flights over populated areas. The X-59 was able to move under its own power during the test that took place last week, taxiing across the runway at the U.S. Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif. As the aircraft taxied, engineers and flight crews observed the X-59 to evaluate its steering, braking and other important functions. The test was one of the final hurdles for the X-59 before its first flight, according to the agency. NASA engineers began test-firing the single-engine experimental aircraft at a Lockheed Martin facility last fall to see if its systems are functional. NASA plans to fly the X-59 between residential areas in 2026 and ask residents about the noise it produces while exceeding the speed of sound. If the X-59 works as intended it will produce a soft thud instead of the loud booms associated with sonic aircrafts. The aircraft has no windshield because its pilot can't see over it, as well as delta-shaped wings with a span of 29.5 feet and has a maximum takeoff weight of 32,300 pounds -- lighter than many commercial planes. Following the successful test, NASA engineers will gradually increase the X-59's taxing speed stopping short of where it would take off, according to the agency. Data from the X-59 will be shared with U.S. and international regulators to develop new regulations on noise threshold for commercial supersonic land flights.
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Map Shows Where Millions Can See International Space Station on Thursday
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Millions of Americans and Canadians will have a chance to see the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday night as it cuts a path across North America. Why It Matters The ISS orbits Earth and houses astronauts and a research laboratory for experiments in microgravity. The ISS is maintained by NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and the Canadian Space Agency. It travels at about 17,500 mph and completes an orbit around Earth every 90 minutes. What To Know At times, the ISS is visible from the U.S. as it orbits Earth. The next chance Americans will have at sighting the space station will be Thursday night as it cuts from Northwest Canada through parts of the Northeastern U.S. in a span of a few minutes. "The International Space Station is visible because it reflects sunlight—the same reason we can see the Moon," a NASA webpage about the ISS says. "However, unlike the Moon, the space station is not bright enough to see during the day. Viewing opportunities can range from one a month to several a week as the light from the Sun reflects off station as it passes overhead at dawn and dusk at the user's preferred location." No equipment will be needed to view the ISS as it passes over the U.S., as it is visible to the naked eye. Millions of Americans outside the ISS' direct path also will have a chance to see it. A map from AccuWeather shows the planned path of the ISS. Shortly after 9:25 p.m. ET, the ISS will travel from Canada into New York, where it will continue its southeastern path for hardly more than a minute before it exits over the Atlantic Ocean. A map from AccuWeather shows where the ISS will be visible on July 24, 2025. A map from AccuWeather shows where the ISS will be visible on July 24, 2025. AccuWeather The timeline is as follows: 9:22-9:25 p.m. ET: The ISS will be traveling southeast over Ontario, Canada. The ISS will be traveling southeast over Ontario, Canada. 9:25-9:26 p.m. ET: The ISS will travel over Northern New York, Southern Vermont, far Southwestern New Hampshire and through Massachusetts to exit over the Atlantic Ocean. The ISS will travel over Northern New York, Southern Vermont, far Southwestern New Hampshire and through Massachusetts to exit over the Atlantic Ocean. 9:27-9:29 p.m. ET: The ISS will continue its path over the Atlantic Ocean. Anyone within the viewing circle will be able to see the space station if weather conditions are right, meaning millions as far south as Georgia up through Maine and Michigan will have a chance at spotting the ISS. The ISS is bright enough that people can spot it even in large cities with light pollution. However, cloudy conditions could disrupt the viewing in some areas. "It looks like there could be some clouds on the western side of that near the Great Lakes, so Wisconsin, the Toronto area," AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva told Newsweek. "Those areas I'm a little worried there could be some clouds in the way." People further east in Southeastern Ohio, Pennsylvania and Western New York will have the best chance to view the ISS. All ISS viewings occur a few hours before or after sunrise or sunset. The ISS includes six sleeping areas, two bathrooms, a gym and a 360-degree-view bay window, NASA says in a webpage. It orbits earth 16 times in 24 hours, "traveling through 16 sunrises and sunsets." What People Are Saying AccuWeather posted on X on Thursday morning: "The International Space Station [ISS] will fly over the eastern United States and parts of Canada just after sunset on Thursday evening, an easy-to-see event for millions of residents across the region." NASA in a webpage about the ISS: "The acre of solar panels that power the station means sometimes you can look up in the sky at dawn or dusk and see the spaceship flying over your home, even if you live in a big city." What Happens Next NASA suggests people who want a chance to view the ISS when it passes over the U.S. to download Spot the Station, a mobile app that notifies users about potential ISS viewings.
