Science
THEMIS D
Magnetospheric Substorm Science Satellite · NASA
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THEMIS D, part of NASA's five-satellite constellation studying auroral substorms — the sudden bursts of energy that light up the polar sky. Flying in coordinated formation with its four sibling satellites, THEMIS D helped pinpoint exactly where and when in near-Earth space these substorms begin, resolving a decades-old debate in space physics.
Its orbit
- Orbit
- Highly Ellipticalswings far out, then dives back close to Earth
- Altitude
- 896–48,426 mi (1,442–77,933 km)
- Inclination
- 8.3°
- One orbit
- 27.3 hours
- NORAD ID
- 30797
- Int’l designator
- 2007-004D
- Launched
- 2007
Orbital elements from CelesTrak, as of 22 Sep 2026.
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