Science
MMS-1
Catalogued as MMS 1
Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission · NASA
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The first of four identical spacecraft flying in a tight formation to study magnetic reconnection — the explosive process where magnetic field lines snap and reform, releasing enormous bursts of energy. This process powers solar flares, aurora, and particle acceleration throughout the universe. The four MMS spacecraft fly as close as 6 miles apart — closer than any previous satellite formation — allowing them to measure reconnection events in three dimensions as they happen in real time.
Its orbit
- Orbit
- Highly Ellipticalswings far out, then dives back close to Earth
- Altitude
- 6,636–107,104 mi (10,680–172,368 km)
- Inclination
- 73.1°
- One orbit
- 3.5 days
- NORAD ID
- 40482
- Int’l designator
- 2015-011A
- Launched
- 2015
Orbital elements from CelesTrak, as of 23 Sep 2026.
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