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NASA Satellites to Pinpoint Origin of Geomagnetic Substorms |
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fl., Feb. 12, 2007/Satnews Daily/ ― The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will simultaneously deploy a constellation of five THEMIS (Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms) micro satellites intended to locate the origin of the geomagnetic substorms that interfere with satellite communications.
THEMIS is a two-year NASA mission led by the Space Sciences Laboratory (SSL) at UC Berkeley and managed by the Explorer Office at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
The THEMIS satellites and carrier, developed by Swales Aerospace (Swales), will dispense the five identical satellites into separate orbits to locate the origin of geomagnetic substorms that create the Northern Lights, but which also endanger astronauts and cause damage to electrical power systems on Earth.
The five THEMIS satellites will be aligned in space along the Sun-Earth line once per four days over North America. A network of THEMIS ground observatories will measure the auroral light and substorm space currents.
The THEMIS mission will identify the source location of these explosive energy releases, which has not previously been possible with single scientific satellites. Knowledge gained from the satellites will allow for better protection of communications, energy sources on Earth and safer space travel.
NASA's Launch Services Program at the Kennedy Space Center is responsible for the launch of THEMIS aboard a Delta II rocket with the launch service being conducted by the United Launch Alliance.
Recent Stories: THEMIS Launch Set for February THEMIS Arrives in Florida for Launch Preparations Swales Aerospace Delivers Final Micro-Satellite for NASA's THEMIS Mission |
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