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Series of NASA missions
NASA's
Solar Terrestrial Probes program
(STP) is a series of missions focused on studying the Sun-Earth system. It is part of
NASA
's
Heliophysics Science Division
within the
Science Mission Directorate
.
[1]
Objectives
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- Understand the fundamental physical processes of the complex space environment throughout the
Solar System
, which includes the flow of energy and charged material, known as plasma, as well as a dynamic system of magnetic and electric fields.
- Understand how human society, technological systems, and the habitability of planets are affected by solar variability and planetary magnetic fields.
- Develop the capability to predict the extreme and dynamic conditions in space in order to maximize the safety and productivity of human and robotic explorers.
Missions
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TIMED
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The TIMED (Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics) is an orbiter mission dedicated to study the
dynamics
of the
Mesosphere
and Lower
Thermosphere
(MLT) portion of the
Earth's atmosphere
.
[2]
The mission was launched from
Vandenberg Air Force Base
in
California
on December 7, 2001 aboard a
Delta II rocket
launch vehicle.
[3]
Hinode
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Hinode, an ongoing collaboration with
JAXA
, is a mission to explore the magnetic fields of the Sun.
[4]
It was launched on the final flight of the
M-V-7 rocket
from
Uchinoura Space Center
,
Japan
on September 22, 2006.
STEREO
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STEREO (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory) is a
solar
observation mission.
[5]
It consists in two nearly identical spacecraft, launched on October 26, 2006.
The Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS) is a mission to study the
Earth
's
magnetosphere
, using four identical spacecraft flying in a
tetrahedral
formation.
[6]
The spacecraft were launched on March 13, 2015.
IMAP
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IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) is a heliosphere observation mission. Planned for launch in 2025, it will sample, analyze, and map particles streaming to Earth from the edges of interstellar space.
[7]
References
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External links
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