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Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites

ResourceID
spase://SMWG/Observatory/TRACERS

Description

TRACERS is a NASA mission led by the University of Iowa to answer long-standing questions key to understanding space weather, particularly how the Sun transfers energy, mass, and momentum to near-Earth space. TRACERS consists of two identical satellites that orbit Earth in tandem (one following the other). TRACERS & were launched on 2025 July 23, and are now in a ~590 km, Sun synchronous low Earth orbit. Each orbit takes about 90 minutes. Their separation in time along the orbit varies from 10 to 120s (75 to 900 km along track).

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Details

Version:2.7.1

Observatory

ResourceID
spase://SMWG/Observatory/TRACERS
ResourceHeader
ResourceName
Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites
AlternateName
Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites
ReleaseDate
2026-04-03 00:00:00Z
Description

TRACERS is a NASA mission led by the University of Iowa to answer long-standing questions key to understanding space weather, particularly how the Sun transfers energy, mass, and momentum to near-Earth space. TRACERS consists of two identical satellites that orbit Earth in tandem (one following the other). TRACERS & were launched on 2025 July 23, and are now in a ~590 km, Sun synchronous low Earth orbit. Each orbit takes about 90 minutes. Their separation in time along the orbit varies from 10 to 120s (75 to 900 km along track).

Contacts
RolePersonStartDateStopDateNote
1.PrincipalInvestigatorspase://SMWG/Person/David.M.Miles
2.MetadataContactspase://SMWG/Person/Lan.Jian
3.MetadataContactspase://SMWG/Person/Scott.Boardsen
InformationURL
Name
Mission Web Pages
URL
Description

Mission Web Page

InformationURL
Name
TRACERS mission paper
URL
Description

Gives the science objectives: descriptions of the spacecraft and instrumentation.

InformationURL
Name
TRACERS mission design
URL
Description

Mission design: Includes discussion on Region of Interest (ROI).

InformationURL
Name
Back orbit Science Opportunities
URL
Description

Discussion of back orbit and back orbit science.

InformationURL
Name
Science Operations Center
URL
Description

Processing of L0 & L1 and SPICE kernels, ensure data quality and distribution of L2. Appendix has definitions of all coordinate systems used.

InformationURL
Name
SPDF readme file on TRACERS
URL
Description

Rehashes above, include links to data and acronym lists.

Location
ObservatoryRegion
Earth.Magnetosphere
ObservatoryRegion
Earth.NearSurface.Ionosphere
ObservatoryRegion
Earth.NearSurface.Ionosphere.Topside
ObservatoryRegion
Earth.NearSurface.AuroralRegion
ObservatoryRegion
Earth.NearSurface.PolarCap