Artists impression of the TIMED spacecraft in orbit, scanning Earth. Credit: Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben
Released in 2001, NASAs TIMED mission has now spent 20 years surveying the complicated dynamics of Earths upper environment. Brief for Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics, TIMED observes the chemistry and characteristics where Earths atmosphere meets area. On its 20th anniversary, the scientific community is reviewing what theyve discovered from TIMEDs 20 years of operations.
Influence Across the Fleet
TIMEDs contributions over the last 20 years have actually influenced missions throughout NASA, particularly in the field of heliophysics, the science of the Sun-Earth system.
” TIMED plays an important function in our heliophysics fleet,” stated Nicola Fox, director of the Heliophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The upper atmosphere is a vital part of our Sun-Earth system and TIMEDs long-term information set has been a vital part of deepening our understanding of this dynamic. It has likewise paved the method for our newer missions studying this area.”
Introduced in 2001, NASAs TIMED mission has now spent 20 years surveying the complex characteristics of Earths upper atmosphere. Heather Futrell, program executive of TIMED, likewise pointed out how TIMEDs contributions will affect NASAs heliophysics objectives for years to come. “As the sixth earliest NASA heliophysics objective, TIMEDs findings and efficiency over the past 20 years have helped shape our technique to missions that have introduced because then and will introduce in the coming years,” she stated. “Existing objectives, such as ICON and GOLD, and upcoming objectives, such as AWE and GDC, build on the structure of upper atmospheric science results that TIMED offered.”
” Looking back, working on TIMED was a magical time for me,” said Marty Mlynczak, primary detective for TIMEDs Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument, constructed and run at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.
Heather Futrell, program executive of TIMED, likewise pointed out how TIMEDs contributions will affect NASAs heliophysics objectives for many years to come. “As the 6th earliest NASA heliophysics objective, TIMEDs findings and efficiency over the previous 20 years have assisted form our approach to missions that have actually released ever since and will introduce in the coming years,” she stated. “Existing missions, such as ICON and GOLD, and upcoming missions, such as AWE and GDC, develop on the structure of upper climatic science results that TIMED offered.”
Artists impression of the TIMED spacecraft in orbit above Earth. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
2 Decades of Science
TIMEDs 20 years of information have provided researchers an unprecedented viewpoint on changes in the upper environment. TIMED studies the crucial region that covers altitudes of about 40 to 110 miles (about 65 to 180 kilometers) above Earths surface. The long lifespan of the objective has permitted researchers to track the upper atmospheres reaction to both quick-changing conditions– like individual solar storms– throughout the Suns 11-year activity cycle, as well as longer trends, like the cooling and contracting of the upper environment due to environment change.
” TIMED is a testimony to the type of work we do here at NASA,” said Peg Luce, deputy director of the Heliophysics Division at NASA Headquarters. “Twenty years is a long time and many of the individuals who have worked on this mission have actually moved on and some have retired.
Samuel Yee, principal private investigator for TIMED, likewise praised the long-lasting effect this objective has had. “In 2011, 10 years after TIMED released, I anticipated that TIMEDs findings would offer insight for many years to come,” said Yee, who is based at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland. “Now, 20 years after launching, TIMED has actually altered our understanding of the upper environment and how it responds to our Sun and conditions on Earth, influencing heliophysics and Earth science research forever.”
” Theres no doubt that TIMED observations have enhanced our understanding of lots of intricate physical procedures at work in Earths upper environment,” said John McCormack, TIMED program scientist at NASA Headquarters. “TIMED continues to make important contributions to comprehending how modifications in the upper environment– over time scales from days to decades– are linked to whats occurring in the lower atmosphere.”
Effect on Earth
TIMED has actually also contributed in many scientific professions, inspiring Ph.D. trainees who would go on to lead their own missions and instruments on upper climatic science.
” Looking back, working on TIMED was a wonderful time for me,” said Marty Mlynczak, primary private investigator for TIMEDs Sounding of the Atmosphere utilizing Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument, built and operated at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. Everyone working on TIMED had one objective: success of the objective.”
” The launch of the TIMED satellite in 2001 with SABER onboard changed my clinical life and added a new science measurement that will never ever disappear,” said James Russell III, SABER PI emeritus and endowed professor and co-director of the Center for Atmospheric Sciences at Hampton University in Virginia. “This new world, literally on the edge of area, brought with it interesting chances for advancing atmospheric science. It has been extremely rewarding to work with the TIMED team to unfold a few of the known mysteries of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere and reveal others that we did not know existed.”
NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center manages the TIMED mission for the Heliophysics Division within the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, constructed and operates the spacecraft for NASA.