NASA launches TRACERS to study Earth’s magnetosphere and solar wind

NASA’s TRACERS (Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites) mission launched at 2:13 p.m. EDT atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. (Image: SpaceX)

The skies above California lit up on Wednesday afternoon as NASA launched its latest space science mission. At 2:13 p.m. EDT, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carried the twin TRACERS satellites into orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

The TRACERS mission—short for Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites—aims to study how Earth’s magnetic field responds to solar activity. Scientists believe it could help explain how space weather affects our planet.

The two satellites will fly in tandem, just seconds apart. They’ll collect over 3,000 measurements during their one-year mission. Their instruments will focus on a process called magnetic reconnection, where magnetic fields snap and realign.

Unlocking Solar Secrets

Once in full operation, TRACERS will examine how the solar wind interacts with Earth’s magnetic shield. These events happen near the North Pole in a region called the polar cusp. It’s a perfect spot to study particles from the Sun entering our atmosphere.

The mission will observe how those charged particles move and how energy travels through near-Earth space. NASA hopes the data will improve our understanding of space weather’s effects on satellites, astronauts, and even power grids.

Scientists confirmed contact with both TRACERS spacecraft shortly after launch. The satellites are now in a four-week checkout phase before science operations begin.

Small Satellites Join Flight

Alongside TRACERS, the Falcon 9 carried three more NASA missions. Athena EPIC, PExT, and REAL were all deployed successfully. These small satellites will test new technologies and collect Earth and space data.

Athena EPIC will track Earth’s heat radiation for one year. PExT will test switching between different space communication networks. REAL, a CubeSat, will study electrons from Earth’s radiation belts.

NASA’s Launch Services Programme supported the mission under the VADR contract. The University of Iowa leads TRACERS, joined by several major research institutions.

As the mission unfolds, NASA’s fleet continues to watch the Sun. With TRACERS now in orbit, scientists are one step closer to better space weather forecasts.