This photo shows the Delta II rocket, with the TIMED spacecraft onboard, streaking into the sky. The Delta II launch vehicle lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base
in California, giving TIMED a boost into space. TIMED reached its orbit just 2 hours after launch.
Click on image for full size
NASA/
It's About TIMED!
News story originally written on December 14, 2001
The TIMED spacecraft was launched onboard a Delta II rocket on December 7, 2001, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The launch went smoothly and TIMED is now in orbit around
Earth. Right now, the spacecraft's instruments are being turned on. So far, all systems are nominal and science operations are expected to begin in early January.
During its 2-year mission, TIMED (Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Mesosphere-Energetics and Dynamics) will complete a global study of a region of the atmosphere called the MLTI region. MTLI stands for the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere/Ionosphere. This region of the atmosphere is not well understood. It is however vital to understand the MLTI region in order to fully understand what effect the Sun and humans have on the atmosphere, and how these effects trigger global change on Earth.
It is also important to understand this region, because many of our communication satellites orbit the Earth in this region. By better understanding the MLTI region, we'll better understand spacecraft lifetimes in that region, degradation of spacecraft materials, and how satellites in this region would reenter through the Earth's atmosphere.
The TIMED mission is the initial mission of NASA's Solar-Terrestrial Probes Program (STP).
Shop Windows to the Universe Science Store!
Our
online store includes
issues of NESTA's quarterly journal, The Earth Scientist, full of classroom activities on different topics in Earth and space science, as well as
books on science education!
You might also be interested in:
The thermosphere is a layer of Earth's atmosphere. The thermosphere is directly above the mesosphere and below the exosphere. It extends from about 90 km (56 miles) to between 500 and 1,000 km (311 to
...more
It was another exciting and frustrating year for the space science program. It seemed that every step forward led to one backwards. Either way, NASA led the way to a great century of discovery. Unfortunately,
...more
The Space Shuttle Discovery lifted off from Kennedy Space Center at 2:19 p.m. EST, October 29th. The sky was clear and the weather was great as Discovery took 8 1/2 minutes to reach orbit for the Unitied
...more
A moon was discovered orbiting the asteroid, Eugenia. This is only the second time in history that a satellite has been seen circling an asteroid. A special mirror allowed scientists to find the moon
...more
Will Russia ever put the service module for the International Space Station in space? NASA officials are demanding an answer from the Russian government. The necessary service module is currently waiting
...more
During a period of about two days in early May, 1998, the ACE spacecraft was immersed in plasma associated with a coronal mass ejection (CME). The SWICS instrument on ACE, which determines unambiguously
...more
J.S. Maini of the Canadian Forest Service has referred to forests as the "heart and lungs of the world." Forests reduce soil erosion, maintain water quality, contribute to atmospheric humidity and cloud
...more
