A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is set to launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base this Tuesday, carrying the Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites (TRACERS). The mission aims to study how the Sun’s solar wind affects Earth’s magnetic field.
TRACERS will monitor the interaction between the solar wind and Earth’s magnetosphere, capturing near-simultaneous measurements of energy transfer from the Sun into our atmosphere. The twin spacecraft will be accompanied by three other missions: ATHENA EPIC, PEXT, and REAL.
ATHENA EPIC will observe outgoing thermal radiation from Earth, while PEXT will demonstrate a communication system capable of switching between space networks. REAL will study high-energy particles that can damage satellites or degrade the ozone layer.
The mission is critical to understanding how the Sun’s energy impacts both Earth and our way of life. NASA’s “Clean Space” initiatives aim to reduce orbital junk and prevent satellite collisions.
Liftoff is scheduled for 11:13 a.m. PDT on Tuesday, July 22, weather permitting.
Source: https://www.independent.com/2025/07/18/nasa-launching-rocket-from-santa-barbara-county-to-study-space-weather