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Pre-recorded SOTs Details, background information + interview requests:

NASA’s newest heliophysics mission TRACERS (Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites) will uncover the mysterious processes behind geomagnetic storms that have swept the globe with dazzling light shows called auroras or northern and southern lights. Though auroras are a crowd favorite to view, they are the result of electrically-charged particles hitting Earth that can also negatively affect power grids, satellites, and even astronauts in space.

Our Sun has been super active as it reached the peak of its 11-year solar cycle. That in turn has ramped up extreme space weather events in the form of geomagnetic storms and auroras. These events arise from solar eruptions and a steady stream of charged particles ejected from the Sun, called solar wind. Like a knight using a shield for protection, Earth’s magnetic field shields us from the brunt of those solar particles, but not all of them. When these particles and magnetic fields from the Sun meet Earth’s volatile magnetic field, the magnetic field lines snap and reconnect, creating new field lines and sending highly-energized particles in new directions including down toward Earth. TRACERS will aim to understand this exact phenomenon known as magnetic reconnection.

TRACERS will be the first ever mission to closely examine the polar cusp region repetitively and from space, to understand magnetic reconnection where the effects of this phenomenon are felt. The twin spacecraft will fly one after another allowing scientists to see the evolution of these explosive interactions and how they travel and change shape.

TRACERS will work alongside other NASA missions studying the Sun including PUNCH and EZIE, which launched earlier this year. Together these missions will provide a more complete picture of the Earth-Sun connection. TRACERS is also part of a larger initiative, NASA’s Explorers Program, studying how the Sun affects space and the space environment around planets.

Suggested Anchor Intro:
Lately, the Sun has truly been a superstar dazzling us with a surge of aurora displays across the globe as it hit the peak of its 11-year solar cycle. But the show isn’t over! NASA is gearing up to launch a new mission, TRACERS, that will take a deep dive into the dynamic region where the solar wind interacts with Earth’s magnetic field.

Here to tell us more is XX.

Suggested Questions:
1. NASA is getting ready to launch a new mission to study how space weather impacts Earth. Can you explain what space weather is?
2. We have had several geomagnetic storms and beautiful auroras in the past year across the globe, especially last May. Can you explain how TRACERS will study these storms?
3. We keep hearing about magnetic reconnection and the charged particles that hit Earth. Can you help us visualize what's actually happening when these magnetic field lines snap and reconnect?
4. TRACERS has two small satellites flying in tandem. Why was this mission designed to have two spacecraft instead of just one?
5. Why is understanding space weather important for protecting our astronauts as well as technology in space and on the ground?
6. Where can our viewers learn more?

Other questions:
7. What other things can space weather events impact?
8. What makes TRACERS different from the other missions that study the Sun?
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2. We have had several geomagnetic storms and beautiful auroras in the past year across the globe, especially last May. Can you explain how TRACERS will study these storms?

3. We keep hearing about magnetic reconnection and the charged particles that hit Earth. Can you help us visualize what's actually happening when these magnetic field lines snap and reconnect?

4. TRACERS has two small satellites flying in tandem. Why was this mission designed to have two spacecraft instead of just one?

5. Why is understanding space weather important for protecting our astronauts as well as technology in space and on the ground?

6. Where can our viewers learn more?

7. What other things can space weather events impact?

8. What are you most excited about with this mission?

9. What makes TRACERS different from the other missions that study the Sun?

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1. NASA is getting ready to launch a new mission to study how space weather impacts Earth. Can you explain what space weather is?

2. We have had several geomagnetic storms and beautiful auroras in the past year across the globe, especially last May. Can you explain how TRACERS will study these storms?

3. We keep hearing about magnetic reconnection and the charged particles that hit Earth. Can you help us visualize what's actually happening when these magnetic field lines snap and reconnect? (answer #1 and answer #2)

4. TRACERS has two small satellites flying in tandem. Why was this mission designed to have two spacecraft instead of just one? (answer #1 and answer #2)

5. Why is understanding space weather important for protecting our astronauts as well as technology in space and on the ground?

6. Where can our viewers learn more?

7. What makes TRACERS different from the other missions that study the Sun?

8. How will the data from TRACERS help us improve space weather forecasts?

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We keep hearing about magnetic reconnection and the charged particles that hit Earth. Can you help us visualize what's actually happening when these magnetic field lines snap and reconnect? (answer #1 and answer #2)4. TRACERS has two small satellites flying in tandem. Why was this mission designed to have two spacecraft instead of just one? (answer #1 and answer #2)5. Why is understanding space weather important for protecting our astronauts as well as technology in space and on the ground?6. Where can our viewers learn more?7. What makes TRACERS different from the other missions that study the Sun? 8. How will the data from TRACERS help us improve space weather forecasts?9. What are you most excited about with this mission?", "width": 320, "height": 180, "pixels": 57600 } }, { "id": 489099, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1156906, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014800/a014863/David_Miles_University_of_Iowa_1.webm", "filename": "David_Miles_University_of_Iowa_1.webm", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Pre-recorded interview with David Miles / TRACERS Principal Investigator University of Iowa. TRT 6:04. Full transcript is available under the download button. SOTS are separated by a slate with the associated question. SOTs answer the following questions:1. NASA is getting ready to launch a new mission to study how space weather impacts Earth. Can you explain what space weather is?2. We have had several geomagnetic storms and beautiful auroras in the past year across the globe, especially last May. Can you explain how TRACERS will study these storms? 3. We keep hearing about magnetic reconnection and the charged particles that hit Earth. Can you help us visualize what's actually happening when these magnetic field lines snap and reconnect? (answer #1 and answer #2)4. TRACERS has two small satellites flying in tandem. Why was this mission designed to have two spacecraft instead of just one? (answer #1 and answer #2)5. Why is understanding space weather important for protecting our astronauts as well as technology in space and on the ground?6. Where can our viewers learn more?7. What makes TRACERS different from the other missions that study the Sun? 8. How will the data from TRACERS help us improve space weather forecasts?9. What are you most excited about with this mission?", "width": 1280, "height": 720, "pixels": 921600 } }, { "id": 489096, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1156903, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014800/a014863/David_Miles_University_of_Iowa_1.mp4", "filename": "David_Miles_University_of_Iowa_1.mp4", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Pre-recorded interview with David Miles / TRACERS Principal Investigator University of Iowa. TRT 6:04. Full transcript is available under the download button. SOTS are separated by a slate with the associated question. SOTs answer the following questions:1. NASA is getting ready to launch a new mission to study how space weather impacts Earth. Can you explain what space weather is?2. We have had several geomagnetic storms and beautiful auroras in the past year across the globe, especially last May. Can you explain how TRACERS will study these storms? 3. We keep hearing about magnetic reconnection and the charged particles that hit Earth. Can you help us visualize what's actually happening when these magnetic field lines snap and reconnect? (answer #1 and answer #2)4. TRACERS has two small satellites flying in tandem. Why was this mission designed to have two spacecraft instead of just one? (answer #1 and answer #2)5. Why is understanding space weather important for protecting our astronauts as well as technology in space and on the ground?6. Where can our viewers learn more?7. What makes TRACERS different from the other missions that study the Sun? 8. How will the data from TRACERS help us improve space weather forecasts?9. What are you most excited about with this mission?", "width": 1280, "height": 720, "pixels": 921600 } }, { "id": 489093, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1156900, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014800/a014863/David_Miles_University_of_Iowa.mp4", "filename": "David_Miles_University_of_Iowa.mp4", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Pre-recorded interview with David Miles / TRACERS Principal Investigator University of Iowa. TRT 6:04. Full transcript is available under the download button. SOTS are separated by a slate with the associated question. SOTs answer the following questions:1. NASA is getting ready to launch a new mission to study how space weather impacts Earth. Can you explain what space weather is?2. We have had several geomagnetic storms and beautiful auroras in the past year across the globe, especially last May. Can you explain how TRACERS will study these storms? 3. We keep hearing about magnetic reconnection and the charged particles that hit Earth. Can you help us visualize what's actually happening when these magnetic field lines snap and reconnect? (answer #1 and answer #2)4. TRACERS has two small satellites flying in tandem. Why was this mission designed to have two spacecraft instead of just one? (answer #1 and answer #2)5. Why is understanding space weather important for protecting our astronauts as well as technology in space and on the ground?6. Where can our viewers learn more?7. What makes TRACERS different from the other missions that study the Sun? 8. How will the data from TRACERS help us improve space weather forecasts?9. What are you most excited about with this mission?", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 489094, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1156901, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014800/a014863/David_Miles_University_of_Iowa.en_US.srt", "filename": "David_Miles_University_of_Iowa.en_US.srt", "media_type": "Captions", "alt_text": "Pre-recorded interview with David Miles / TRACERS Principal Investigator University of Iowa. TRT 6:04. Full transcript is available under the download button. SOTS are separated by a slate with the associated question. SOTs answer the following questions:1. NASA is getting ready to launch a new mission to study how space weather impacts Earth. Can you explain what space weather is?2. We have had several geomagnetic storms and beautiful auroras in the past year across the globe, especially last May. Can you explain how TRACERS will study these storms? 3. We keep hearing about magnetic reconnection and the charged particles that hit Earth. Can you help us visualize what's actually happening when these magnetic field lines snap and reconnect? (answer #1 and answer #2)4. TRACERS has two small satellites flying in tandem. Why was this mission designed to have two spacecraft instead of just one? (answer #1 and answer #2)5. Why is understanding space weather important for protecting our astronauts as well as technology in space and on the ground?6. Where can our viewers learn more?7. What makes TRACERS different from the other missions that study the Sun? 8. How will the data from TRACERS help us improve space weather forecasts?9. What are you most excited about with this mission?", "label": "English", "language_code": "en-US" } }, { "id": 489095, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1156902, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014800/a014863/David_Miles_University_of_Iowa.en_US.vtt", "filename": "David_Miles_University_of_Iowa.en_US.vtt", "media_type": "Captions", "alt_text": "Pre-recorded interview with David Miles / TRACERS Principal Investigator University of Iowa. TRT 6:04. Full transcript is available under the download button. SOTS are separated by a slate with the associated question. SOTs answer the following questions:1. NASA is getting ready to launch a new mission to study how space weather impacts Earth. Can you explain what space weather is?2. We have had several geomagnetic storms and beautiful auroras in the past year across the globe, especially last May. Can you explain how TRACERS will study these storms? 3. We keep hearing about magnetic reconnection and the charged particles that hit Earth. Can you help us visualize what's actually happening when these magnetic field lines snap and reconnect? (answer #1 and answer #2)4. TRACERS has two small satellites flying in tandem. Why was this mission designed to have two spacecraft instead of just one? (answer #1 and answer #2)5. Why is understanding space weather important for protecting our astronauts as well as technology in space and on the ground?6. Where can our viewers learn more?7. What makes TRACERS different from the other missions that study the Sun? 8. How will the data from TRACERS help us improve space weather forecasts?9. What are you most excited about with this mission?", "label": "English", "language_code": "en-US" } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 378524, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14863/#media_group_378524", "widget": "Basic text", "title": "For More Information", "caption": "", "description": "See [https://science.nasa.gov/mission/tracers/](https://science.nasa.gov/mission/tracers/)", "items": [], "extra_data": {} } ], "studio": "gms", "funding_sources": [ "PAO" ], "credits": [ { "role": "Producer", "people": [ { "name": "Lacey Young", "employer": "eMITS" }, { "name": "Angel Kumari", "employer": "NASA/GSFC" }, { "name": "Michelle Handleman", "employer": "eMITS" } ] }, { "role": "Editor", "people": [ { "name": "Lacey Young", "employer": "eMITS" } ] } ], "missions": [], "series": [ "Narrated Movies" ], "tapes": [], "papers": [], "datasets": [], "nasa_science_categories": [ "Sun" ], "keywords": [ "Corona", "HDTV", "Heliophysics", "Magnetic Reconnection", "SDO", "Solar Dynamics Observatory", "Solar Wind", "Space Weather", "TRACERS" ], "recommended_pages": [], "related": [ { "id": 14862, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14862/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "NASA’s TRACERS Studies Magnetic Explosions Above Earth", "description": "NASA's TRACERS mission, or the Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites, will fly in low Earth orbit through the polar cusps, funnel-shaped holes in the magnetic field, to study magnetic reconnection and its effects in Earth's atmosphere. Magnetic reconnection is a mysterious process that happens when the solar wind, made of electrically charged particles and magnetic fields from the Sun, collides with Earth's magnetic shield, causing magnetic field lines to violently snap and explosively fling away particles at high speeds. This process has huge impacts on Earth, from causing breathtaking auroras to disrupting communications and power grids on Earth. TRACERS is launching no earlier than summer 2025 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.Find out more about the TRACERS mission and how it will help us better understand the ways space weather affects us on Earth: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/tracers/ || ", "release_date": "2025-07-14T11:00:00-04:00", "update_date": "2025-06-27T10:39:30.842035-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 1156667, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014800/a014862/14862_TRACERSoverview_Thumbnail.jpg", "filename": "14862_TRACERSoverview_Thumbnail.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Produced VideoWatch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available.Music Credit: \"Praxis I,” “Three Voices,” and “Die Vogel” by Alexis Francois Georges Delong [SACEM], “Anticipation” by Nicholas Smith [PRS], “Ocean Wisdom” by Hugo Dubery and Philippe Galtier [SACEM], and “Call from the Sea” by MACARON [SACEM] from Universal Production MusicAdditional Video and Animations: University of Iowa, Southwest Research Institute, Millennium Space Systems, Andøya Space / Trond AbrahamsenSound Effects: Pixabay", "width": 1280, "height": 720, "pixels": 921600 } }, { "id": 20404, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/20404/", "page_type": "Animation", "title": "TRACERS Science Animations", "description": "The TRACERS, or the Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites, mission will help scientists understand an explosive process called magnetic reconnection and its effects in Earth’s atmosphere. Magnetic reconnection occurs when magnetic fields and particles from the Sun interact with Earth’s magnetic field. By understanding this process, scientists will be able to better understand and prepare for impacts of solar activity on Earth, such as auroras and disruptions to telecommunications.Learn more about the mission: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/tracers/ || ", "release_date": "2025-06-02T12:00:00-04:00", "update_date": "2025-07-02T13:53:16.455608-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 1155490, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a020000/a020400/a020404/TRACERS_S3_A_30fps_4k_proRes.00790_print.jpg", "filename": "TRACERS_S3_A_30fps_4k_proRes.00790_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "In this animation, the TRACERS spacecraft fly by the camera and enter the polar cusp, where the two spacecraft will make more than 3,000 measurements of dayside magnetic reconnection in the first year of the mission. Orange particles and shading represent an artistic rendering of what flying through the polar cusp would look like if the region was visible to the naked eye.", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } }, { "id": 14829, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14829/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "TRACERS Thermal Vacuum Testing at Millennium Space Systems", "description": "NASA’s Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites, or TRACERS, is embarking on its integration and testing campaign, during which all of the instruments and components will be added to the spacecraft structure, tested to ensure they will survive the harsh environments of launch and space, and made ready to execute its mission. The TRACERS mission will help scientists understand an explosive process called magnetic reconnection and its effects in Earth’s atmosphere. Magnetic reconnection occurs when magnetic fields and particles from the Sun interact with Earth’s magnetic field. By understanding this process, scientists will be able to better understand and prepare for impacts of solar activity on Earth, such as auroras and disruptions to telecommunications.Below are clips of Millennium Space Systems’ team members conducting Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) testing at the Boeing Space Systems Laboratory in El Segundo, California.Learn more about the mission: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/tracers/ || ", "release_date": "2025-04-25T10:00:00-04:00", "update_date": "2025-06-02T12:39:50.809899-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 1154712, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014800/a014829/14829_TRACERS_TVAC_06_print.jpg", "filename": "14829_TRACERS_TVAC_06_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Photo: Millennium Space Systems team members prepare the TRACERS spacecraft for Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) testing at Boeing Space Systems Laboratory in El Segundo, CA. The testing will ensure it can withstand the harsh conditions of space.Credit: Millennium Space Systems", "width": 1024, "height": 682, "pixels": 698368 } }, { "id": 14805, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14805/", "page_type": "Animation", "title": "TRACERS Spacecraft Beauty Passes", "description": "The TRACERS, or the Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites, mission will help scientists understand an explosive process called magnetic reconnection and its effects in Earth’s atmosphere. Magnetic reconnection occurs when magnetic fields and particles from the Sun interact with Earth’s magnetic field. By understanding this process, scientists will be able to better understand and prepare for impacts of solar activity on Earth, such as auroras and disruptions to telecommunications.Learn more about the mission: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/tracers/ || ", "release_date": "2025-03-24T12:00:00-04:00", "update_date": "2025-06-03T12:24:37-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 1154340, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014800/a014805/TRACERSbeauty_Iowa_4K_ProRes.00001_print.jpg", "filename": "TRACERSbeauty_Iowa_4K_ProRes.00001_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Beauty Pass – 4KCredit: University of Iowa / Andy Kale", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } } ], "sources": [], "products": [], "newer_versions": [], "older_versions": [], "alternate_versions": [] }