Science
TIMED
Atmospheric Research · NASA
Right now
LiveIt moves every second. See exactly where it is — worked out from its orbit, on your own device — on the live 3D globe.
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- Altitude
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TIMED studies the part of Earth's atmosphere most people never think about: the mesosphere and lower thermosphere, 37–112 miles up, where the atmosphere bleeds into space. This region absorbs most of the Sun's harmful X-ray and ultraviolet radiation before it reaches the surface. Launched in 2001, TIMED has built the most comprehensive picture of how this protective zone responds to solar activity and climate change.
Its orbit
- Orbit
- Low Earth Orbitcan appear as a fast-moving star at dawn or dusk
- Altitude
- 363–365 mi (584–587 km)
- Inclination
- 74.1°
- One orbit
- 96.2 minutes15.0 orbits a day
- NORAD ID
- 26998
- Int’l designator
- 2001-055B
- Launched
- 2001
Orbital elements from CelesTrak, as of 22 Sep 2026.
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