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THEMIS A
Magnetospheric Substorm Science Satellite · NASA
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THEMIS A, one of five identical NASA satellites launched in 2007 to study how energy from the Sun triggers the sudden, dramatic brightening of the aurora known as a substorm. THEMIS A was later repurposed and sent on an extended trajectory toward the Moon as part of the ARTEMIS mission, becoming one of the first spacecraft to study the Moon's magnetic environment from lunar orbit after finishing its original Earth mission.
Its orbit
- Orbit
- Highly Ellipticalswings far out, then dives back close to Earth
- Altitude
- 810–48,511 mi (1,304–78,072 km)
- Inclination
- 9.3°
- One orbit
- 27.3 hours
- NORAD ID
- 30580
- Int’l designator
- 2007-004A
- Launched
- 2007
Orbital elements from CelesTrak, as of 18 Sep 2026.
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