NASA has launched a new mission called TRACERS (Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites) to study how Earth’s magnetic field defends the planet from space weather
The twin satellites lifted off successfully at 11:13 a.m. PDT (2:13 p.m. EDT) on July 23rd aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
TRACERS is part of NASA’s continued efforts to understand the connection between the Sun and Earth, particularly how solar activity affects our planet’s magnetic field and atmosphere.
Understanding magnetic reconnection
TRACERS will focus on a process called magnetic reconnection, a powerful event that happens when the Sun’s magnetic field collides with Earth’s. This collision releases energy that can disrupt satellites, GPS signals, and power grids.
To study this, the two spacecraft will fly in close formation, sometimes just 10 seconds apart, collecting over 3,000 measurements during their one-year mission. These observations will help scientists create a detailed timeline of how magnetic reconnection events unfold and evolve.
TRACERS will orbit near the North Pole, in a region known as the polar cusp. This area is an open doorway in Earth’s magnetic shield, allowing solar wind particles to enter the atmosphere more easily. By flying through this region, TRACERS will measure energetic particles and their effects on the atmosphere, allowing researchers to understand better how space weather impacts Earth.
Roughly three hours after launch, NASA confirmed that it had made contact with both TRACERS spacecraft. Over the next four weeks, mission controllers will perform a series of checks to ensure all systems and instruments are functioning correctly. Once this commissioning phase is complete, the satellites will begin collecting scientific data.
TRACERS is expected to provide insights into the behaviour of the magnetosphere, the region of space controlled by Earth’s magnetic field, and how solar energy is transferred into it.
Smaller satellites
Alongside TRACERS, the Falcon 9 rocket carried three other NASA missions: Athena EPIC, PExT, and REAL.
- Athena EPIC will test a new modular satellite design that could make future missions more affordable and flexible. After a brief commissioning period, it will spend the next year measuring outgoing longwave radiation from Earth, a key factor in climate studies.
- PExT will test an innovative communication terminal that can switch between commercial and government satellite networks. This could make future space missions more connected and adaptable, similar to how smartphones switch between different service providers on Earth.
- REAL is a CubeSat designed to study how high-energy electrons are scattered from the Van Allen radiation belts into Earth’s atmosphere. This research could help protect both satellites and astronauts from harmful radiation.
The University of Iowa leads the TRACERS mission with support from the Southwest Research Institute and several University of California campuses. The mission is part of NASA’s Heliophysics Explorers Program, managed by the Goddard Space Flight Center.
The additional small satellite missions show a growing trend of using compact, cost-effective technology to advance space science. Each satellite was developed in partnership with universities, federal agencies, and private companies.
With TRACERS and its companion missions now in orbit, NASA continues to expand our understanding of the dynamic relationship between Earth and the Sun.
