Millennium Spacecraft for NASA TRACERS Mission Moves to Testing Phase
Millennium Space Systems, a Boeing company, has completed two spacecraft for NASA's TRACERS mission, designed to study the interaction between solar wind and Earth's magnetic field. The project is now moving to the instrument integration and environmental testing phase before delivery to Vandenberg Space Force Base. Once launched into sun-synchronous orbit, the spacecraft will study magnetic reconnection and cusp electrodynamics in Earth's polar cusp region, collecting data to improve space weather forecasting capabilities. The mission features five different instruments from four institutions integrated into a spin-stabilized ALTAIR bus platform.
Millennium Space Systems, una compagnia di Boeing, ha completato due veicoli spaziali per la missione TRACERS della NASA, progettata per studiare l'interazione tra il vento solare e il campo magnetico della Terra. Il progetto sta ora passando alla fase di integrazione degli strumenti e di test ambientali prima della consegna alla Vandenberg Space Force Base. Una volta lanciati in un'orbita sincrona con il sole, i veicoli spaziali studieranno la riconnessione magnetica e l'elettrodinamica del cuspide polare della Terra, raccogliendo dati per migliorare le capacità di previsione del tempo spaziale. La missione presenta cinque diversi strumenti provenienti da quattro istituzioni integrati in una piattaforma ALTAIR stabilizzata a rotazione.
Millennium Space Systems, una compañía de Boeing, ha completado dos naves espaciales para la misión TRACERS de la NASA, diseñada para estudiar la interacción entre el viento solar y el campo magnético de la Tierra. El proyecto ahora avanza a la fase de integración de instrumentos y pruebas ambientales antes de la entrega a la Vandenberg Space Force Base. Una vez lanzadas a una órbita sincrónica con el sol, las naves espaciales estudiarán la reconexión magnética y la electrodinámica en la región del cuspide polar de la Tierra, recopilando datos para mejorar las capacidades de pronóstico del tiempo espacial. La misión cuenta con cinco instrumentos diferentes de cuatro instituciones integrados en una plataforma ALTAIR estabilizada por rotación.
밀레니엄 스페이스 시스템즈, 보잉의 자회사, 는 NASA의 TRACERS 미션을 위해 두 대의 우주선을 완성했습니다. 이 미션은 태양풍과 지구 자기장 간의 상호작용을 연구하기 위해 설계되었습니다. 현재 프로젝트는 Vandenberg Space Force Base에 인도하기 전, 기기 통합 및 환경 테스트 단계로 진행되고 있습니다. 태양 동기 궤도로 발사되면, 이 우주선은 지구 극 단의 자기 재연결 및 정점 전자역학을 연구하고, 우주 날씨 예보 능력을 개선하기 위해 데이터를 수집할 것입니다. 이 미션은 네 개의 기관에서 제공된 다섯 가지 서로 다른 기기를 회전 안정화된 ALTAIR 버스 플랫폼에 통합합니다.
Millennium Space Systems, une société de Boeing, a achevé deux engins spatiaux pour la mission TRACERS de la NASA, conçue pour étudier les interactions entre le vent solaire et le champ magnétique de la Terre. Le projet passe maintenant à la phase d'intégration des instruments et de tests environnementaux avant la livraison à la Vandenberg Space Force Base. Une fois lancés en orbite synchrone avec le soleil, les engins spatiaux étudieront la reconnexion magnétique et l'électrodynamique dans la région du cusp polaire de la Terre, collectant des données pour améliorer les capacités de prévision de la météo spatiale. La mission comprend cinq instruments différents provenant de quatre institutions intégrés dans une plateforme ALTAIR stabilisée par rotation.
Millennium Space Systems, ein Unternehmen von Boeing, hat zwei Raumschiffe für die TRACERS-Mission der NASA abgeschlossen, die darauf ausgelegt ist, die Wechselwirkungen zwischen Sonnenwind und dem Magnetfeld der Erde zu untersuchen. Das Projekt befindet sich nun in der Phase der Instrumentenintegration und Umwelttests, bevor es an die Vandenberg Space Force Base geliefert wird. Nach dem Start in eine sonnensynchrone Umlaufbahn werden die Raumschiffe magnetische Rekonnexion und Kuspselektrodynamik in der polar-kuspalen Region der Erde studieren und Daten sammeln, um die Fähigkeiten zur Vorhersage von Weltraumwetter zu verbessern. Die Mission umfasst fünf verschiedene Instrumente von vier Institutionen, die in eine rotationsstabilisierte ALTAIR-Busplattform integriert sind.
- Successful completion of two spacecraft for NASA mission
- Project advancing to testing phase, indicating progress in timeline
- Secured NASA contract for space weather research mission
- None.
Insights
The completion of two spacecraft for NASA's TRACERS mission represents a technical milestone for Boeing's subsidiary Millennium Space Systems, but has minimal direct financial impact. While the project demonstrates Boeing's capabilities in space technology and its contribution to space weather research, it's part of an existing NASA contract rather than new business.
The technical achievements include adapting the ALTAIR bus for spin-stabilization and meeting strict magnetic and electrostatic cleanliness requirements. However, this scientific mission's primary value lies in research benefits rather than commercial returns. The project's completion is a routine development phase without significant stock price implications.
"TRACERS will ultimately inform how we understand space weather," said Dave Machuga, CEO, Millennium Space Systems. "From a national security space perspective, this is incredibly important to understanding the environment our satellites – or any satellites – operate in."
The team is now integrating the instruments that will study changes in the magnetic and electric field, plasma particles and waves once in orbit. Following integration, the next phase is environmental testing prior to delivering the spacecraft to Vandenberg Space Force Base.
"TRACERS will determine fundamental properties of the process that connects the solar wind to near-Earth space and ultimately drives space weather," said David Miles, Principal Investigator of the TRACERS mission and F Wendell Miller Associate Professor at the University of
Once launched and in a sun-synchronous orbit, Millennium will begin on-orbit mission operations as the TRACERS spacecraft travels along Earth's polar cusp region, the funnel shaped regions of the Earth's magnetic field that open over the north and south magnetic poles.
"The TRACERS Instrument Suite incorporates five different instruments from four different institutions, each presenting unique accommodation," said Richard Prasad, TRACERS program manager, Millennium Space Systems. "Millennium adapted a standard
The data collected will focus on magnetic reconnection and cusp electrodynamics – two crucial mechanisms driving space weather. By examining the interactions between solar wind and the magnetosphere in the cusp region, TRACERS aims to enhance the understanding of how Earth's magnetosphere functions and how it reacts to variations in solar wind. This research will improve the ability to forecast space weather events, which can significantly affect technology and infrastructure on Earth.
TRACERS is led by the University of
About Millennium Space Systems
Millennium Space Systems, a Boeing Company, is a small satellite prime, delivering high-performance constellation solutions for National Security Space. Founded in 2001, the company's active production lines and
Contact:
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dana.carroll@millennium-space.com
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SOURCE Millennium Space Systems
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