. 24/7 Space News .
CONSTELLATIONS
NASA Spacecraft Fly in Record-setting Formation
by Staff Writers
Huntsville AL (SPX) Sep 22, 2016


MMS solves the formation problem, in part, using its Navigator System.

Summertime airshows are fun to watch, especially when aircraft fly in tight formation. The sight of airplanes soaring overhead practically wingtip to wingtip is thrilling to behold.

Four of NASA's spacecraft recently performed an equally thrilling maneuver: In Oct. 2015, the satellites of NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale, or MMS, mission gathered into a tetrahedral formation with each spacecraft at the tip of a four-sided pyramid only six miles across. Moving together as one, they raced around Earth at 15,000 mph. Conrad Schiff, MMS Orbital Dynamicist at NASA's Goddard Spaceflight Center in Greenbelt, MD says, "No other multi-spacecraft formation has flown this close."

The purpose of the maneuver was to study the inner workings of magnetic reconnection-sometimes called the Universe's favorite way of making things explode.

Magnetic reconnection can happen anywhere magnetic fields permeate space. Magnetic lines of force cross, cancel, reconnect and in a sudden explosion, magnetic energy is unleashed in the form of heat and charged-particles racing away in all directions. This process is linked to a wide range of explosions from flares on the sun to massive eruptions in the cores of active galaxies.

It also happens in Earth's magnetic field. Not far above our own planet, small-scale magnetic reconnection sparks geomagnetic storms, disturbances of Earth's magnetosphere that among other effects can trigger aurora. MMS was launched in March 2015 to study the process at close range - by studying it close to home, we can better understand it throughout the universe.

John Dorelli, a member of the MMS science team at the Goddard Space Flight Center explains, "To understand magnetic reconnection, we have to measure thin layers of fast-moving electrically-charged material called current sheets that are typically six miles or less in thickness. That's why the spacecraft had to fly in such tight formation."

Down on Earth, airplanes can fly much closer together than that -but they have a big advantage over MMS.

Schiff says, "First, aircraft flying in formation above Earth enjoy the control afforded by the atmosphere-that is, lift and drag. These forces are akin to the friction that allows your car's tires to grip the road. Spacecraft do not ever feel these forces. A highway analogy would be driving on ice. Under these frictionless conditions, you always allow far more space between yourself and other drivers."

"Second," says Schiff, "the pilot in an aircraft is always able to see the other planes - visually and via instrumentation. In space, the spacecraft can't see each other. They require much more sophisticated instrumentation to know where the others are."

MMS solves the formation problem, in part, using its Navigator System.

Schiff says, "The Navigator uses GPS signals and a model of the orbital dynamics so that each spacecraft knows where it is at all times."

Each spacecraft also has an Acceleration Measurement and Control System. Schiff explains that "this system carefully measures the output of the onboard thrusters and either steps on the pedal or steps on the brake to ensure that control is maintained."

Cutting-edge computer software called the Formation Design and Control Algorithm, helps, too. Schiff says, "It analyzes the dynamics of MMS and finds orbits where the spacecraft can safely gather in pyramid form."

Six miles set a record, but it was only the beginning.

Tom Moore, the MMS Project Scientist at the Goddard Space Flight Center says, "As of September 2016, we've gotten the formation down to 4.5 miles. A tighter formation will give us key data from what's called the electron dissipation region of the reconnection zone."

Rarely has space physics been so thrilling.

For more about MMS visit here


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
Science at NASA
Satellite Constellation - multiple satellite deployments in LEO and Beyond






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

Previous Report
CONSTELLATIONS
Is the OneWeb-Intelsat network the answer to Canada's Arctic needs
McLean VA (SPX) Aug 08, 2016
Using the U.S. wideband global satellite (WGS) model, Canada's military plans a two-satellite constellation to fill its communications voids in the remote but fast-changing Arctic, a Canadian official told Space News at the recent MilSatCom USA symposium. The project is expected to cost $2.4 billion (CDN) and be operational by 2023, Col. Jeff Dooling, director of space requirements for the ... read more


CONSTELLATIONS
Exploration Team Shoots for the Moon with Water-Propelled Satellite

Space tourists eye $150mln Soyuz lunar flyby

Roscosmos to spend $7.5Mln studying issues of manned lunar missions

Lockheed Martin, NASA Ink Deal for SkyFire Infrared Lunar Discovery Satellite

CONSTELLATIONS
A Mixed-reality Trip to Mars

Mars 2020 rover to produce oxygen: NASA

Opportunity Heads Toward First Waypoint of its Next Extended Mission

Mars hosted lakes, snowmelt-fed streams much later than previously thought

CONSTELLATIONS
Every day closer to a new way to orbit

Taiwan's summer slump as Chinese visitors stay away

Entropy

Goddard space center mission-critical for ISS astronauts

CONSTELLATIONS
Tiangong 2 initial tests proceeding well

China's space lab Tiangong-2 enters in-orbit test track

China's Tiangong-1 space station to crash into Earth in 2017

Tiangong-2 "another significant step" for building China's space station

CONSTELLATIONS
Manned launch of Soyuz MS-02 maybe postponed to Nov 1

Russia cancels manned space launch over 'technical' issues

US astronauts complete spacewalk for ISS maintenance

Space Station's orbit adjusted Wednesday

CONSTELLATIONS
Rocket agreement marks countdown to New Zealand's first space launch

Parallel launch preparations put Ariane 5 on track for next launch

Vega orbits "eyes in the skies" on its latest success

Russia postpones Soyuz MS-02 ISS launch due to electrical glitch

CONSTELLATIONS
Stellar activity can mimic misaligned exoplanets

ALMA locates possible birth site of icy giant planet

New light on the complex nature of 'hot Jupiter' atmospheres

Discovery one-ups Tatooine, finds twin stars hosting three giant exoplanets

CONSTELLATIONS
UK increases investment in Magna Parva in-space manufacturing tech

Tardigrades use protective protein to shield their DNA from radiation

'Virtual orchestra' hits high notes in London

Study investigates steel-eating microbes on ship hulls









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.