The 2013 Earth-Orbiting Heliophysics Fleet

  • Released Monday, December 16th, 2013
  • Updated Sunday, November 12th, 2023 at 10:19PM
  • ID: 4127

There've been a few changes since the 2012 Earth-Orbiting Heliophysics Fleet. As of Fall of 2013, here's a tour of the NASA Near-Earth Heliophysics fleet, covering the space from near-Earth orbit out to the orbit of the Moon.

The satellite orbits are color coded for their observing program:

  • Magenta: TIM (Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere) observations

  • Yellow: solar observations and imagery

  • Cyan: Geospace and magnetosphere

  • Violet: Heliospheric observations

Near-Earth Fleet:

  • Hinode: Observes the Sun in multiple wavelengths up to x-rays. SVS page
  • RHESSI : Observes the Sun in x-rays and gamma-rays. SVS page
  • TIMED: Studies the upper layers (40-110 miles up) of the Earth's atmosphere.
  • FAST: Measures particles and fields in regions where aurora form.
  • CINDI: Measures interactions of neutral and charged particles in the ionosphere.
  • SORCE: Monitors solar intensity across a broad range of the electromagnetic spectrum.
  • AIM: Images and measures noctilucent clouds. SVS page
  • Van Allen Probes: Two probes moving along the same orbit esigned to study the impact of space weather on Earth's radiation belts. SVS page
  • TWINS: Two Wide-Angle Imaging Neutral-Atom Spectrometers (TWINS) are two probes observing the Earth with neutral atom imagers.
  • IRIS: Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph is designed to take high-resolution spectra and images of the region between the solar photosphere and solar atmosphere.

Geosynchronous Fleet:

  • SDO: Solar Dynamics Observatory keeps the Sun under continuous observation at 16 megapixel resolution.
  • GOES: The newest GOES satellites include a solar X-ray imager operated by NOAA.

Geospace Fleet:

  • Geotail: Conducts measurements of electrons and ions in the Earth's magnetotail.
  • Cluster: This is a group of four satellites which fly in formation to measure how particles and fields in the magnetosphere vary in space and time. SVS page
  • THEMIS: This is a fleet of three satellites to study how magnetospheric instabilities produce substorms. Two of the original five satellites were moved into lunar orbit to become ARTEMIS. SVS page
  • IBEX: The Interstellar Boundary Explorer measures the flux of neutral atoms from the heliopause.

Lunar Orbiting Fleet

  • ARTEMIS: Two of the THEMIS satellites were moved into lunar orbit to study the interaction of the Earth's magnetosphere with the Moon.

Movie showing the heliosphysics missions from near Earth orbit out to the orbit of the Moon.

Close-up view of the near-Earth heliophysics satellites.

Close-up view of the near-Earth heliophysics satellites.

Pulling out from Earth for a wider view...

Pulling out from Earth for a wider view...

One of the TWINS spacecraft come into view.

One of the TWINS spacecraft come into view.

A wider view encompases the orbits of the Van Allen probes.

A wider view encompases the orbits of the Van Allen probes.

Passing geosynchronous orbit...

Passing geosynchronous orbit...

Passing through the magnetopause...

Passing through the magnetopause...

Cluster and THEMIS

Cluster and THEMIS

The GOES satellites now include solar X-ray imagers.

The GOES satellites now include solar X-ray imagers.

A wide view of satellites in geosynchronous and geostationary orbits.

A wide view of satellites in geosynchronous and geostationary orbits.

We're now out beyond the boundary of Earth's magnetosphere, where satellites more directly experience the influence of the solar wind.

We're now out beyond the boundary of Earth's magnetosphere, where satellites more directly experience the influence of the solar wind.

Approaching the orbit of the Moon.

Approaching the orbit of the Moon.

Passing the orbit of the Moon, we see the ARTEMIS spacecraft in lunar orbit.

Passing the orbit of the Moon, we see the ARTEMIS spacecraft in lunar orbit.

The long-view of the near-Earth fleet.

The long-view of the near-Earth fleet.

Closing shot

Closing shot

Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio, the NASA/Goddard Satellite Situation Center, and Space Track.

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