1 00:00:10,009 --> 00:00:04,849 good afternoon my name is Dwane Brown 2 00:00:12,379 --> 00:00:10,019 and welcome to NASA headquarters today's 3 00:00:14,089 --> 00:00:12,389 briefing will discuss the upcoming March 4 00:00:17,630 --> 00:00:14,099 12th launch of NASA's magnetospheric 5 00:00:20,240 --> 00:00:17,640 multiscale or MMS mission that will 6 00:00:25,390 --> 00:00:20,250 study magnetic reconnection around the 7 00:00:28,189 --> 00:00:25,400 earth now that's a lot to swallow but 8 00:00:31,490 --> 00:00:28,199 remember these two words magnetic 9 00:00:34,220 --> 00:00:31,500 reconnection what is it why is it 10 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:34,230 important to study today you will get 11 00:00:39,350 --> 00:00:36,930 those answers all of the information you 12 00:01:00,279 --> 00:00:39,360 were here today and any updates will be 13 00:01:06,620 --> 00:01:03,590 science coming from this mission Twitter 14 00:01:09,620 --> 00:01:06,630 Facebook and other social media 15 00:01:11,539 --> 00:01:09,630 platforms will have brief presentations 16 00:01:13,310 --> 00:01:11,549 from our participants and then we're 17 00:01:15,350 --> 00:01:13,320 opening up for questions starting here 18 00:01:17,330 --> 00:01:15,360 in the NASA TV studio our phone lines 19 00:01:18,830 --> 00:01:17,340 and the questions from the public 20 00:01:21,410 --> 00:01:18,840 viewing this program on social media 21 00:01:24,890 --> 00:01:21,420 first let me introduce you to today's 22 00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:24,900 participants first you hear from Jeff 23 00:01:28,910 --> 00:01:25,970 Newmark 24 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:28,920 interim director heliophysics division 25 00:01:42,470 --> 00:01:37,970 birch principal investigator MMS 26 00:01:48,130 --> 00:01:42,480 instrument suite science team Southwest 27 00:01:53,930 --> 00:01:52,490 Greg Dulli MMS project manager and 28 00:01:59,590 --> 00:01:53,940 NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in 29 00:02:01,940 --> 00:01:59,600 Greenbelt Maryland and Paul casick 30 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:01,950 associate professor West Virginia 31 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:04,410 University in Morgantown and with that 32 00:02:10,460 --> 00:02:07,890 we'll start with Jeff Thank You Duane 33 00:02:11,710 --> 00:02:10,470 and good afternoon everyone I'm really 34 00:02:16,340 --> 00:02:11,720 thrilled to be here today to introduce 35 00:02:18,140 --> 00:02:16,350 MMS to you all before we talk about MMS 36 00:02:20,510 --> 00:02:18,150 in detail I wanna step back a little bit 37 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:20,520 and talk about how it fits in with with 38 00:02:25,190 --> 00:02:22,290 the important work that NASA is doing on 39 00:02:27,860 --> 00:02:25,200 heliophysics physics it's kind of a 40 00:02:29,479 --> 00:02:27,870 strange horror trip to many of you but 41 00:02:31,910 --> 00:02:29,489 it deals with some of the most 42 00:02:34,070 --> 00:02:31,920 fundamental parts that we know starting 43 00:02:36,620 --> 00:02:34,080 with the Sun we all recognize the Sun 44 00:02:39,289 --> 00:02:36,630 and what we're doing is looking at the 45 00:02:40,820 --> 00:02:39,299 Sun and it's extended atmosphere that we 46 00:02:43,970 --> 00:02:40,830 call the heliosphere and how it 47 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:43,980 interacts with the planets the space 48 00:02:47,509 --> 00:02:45,810 environment around the earth the space 49 00:02:51,710 --> 00:02:47,519 environment on all the planets out to 50 00:02:53,990 --> 00:02:51,720 the edges of our interstellar space this 51 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:54,000 Sun is actually variable many of you 52 00:02:59,620 --> 00:02:56,610 think of the Sun as a constant but if 53 00:03:01,940 --> 00:02:59,630 you look at this first movie I have here 54 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:01,950 you'll see what we actually when we look 55 00:03:07,640 --> 00:03:04,290 at national look at the Sun that you see 56 00:03:09,500 --> 00:03:07,650 it's these activity zones you see large 57 00:03:11,810 --> 00:03:09,510 eruptions of the Sun we call solar 58 00:03:14,990 --> 00:03:11,820 storms these storms travel throughout 59 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:15,000 interests planetary space and at times 60 00:03:20,060 --> 00:03:17,850 the storms interact with the earth and 61 00:03:22,970 --> 00:03:20,070 that interaction can cause what we call 62 00:03:25,449 --> 00:03:22,980 space weather what's what starts these 63 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:25,459 storms what causes the space weather 64 00:03:30,410 --> 00:03:28,530 around the earth this is a phenomenon 65 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:30,420 that's wayne already mentioned magnetic 66 00:03:33,530 --> 00:03:32,010 reconnection magnetic reconnection 67 00:03:35,300 --> 00:03:33,540 actually occurs throughout the universe 68 00:03:37,430 --> 00:03:35,310 not just on the sun not just around the 69 00:03:39,470 --> 00:03:37,440 earth but on other planets at the edges 70 00:03:43,729 --> 00:03:39,480 of our solar system and in fact around 71 00:03:46,309 --> 00:03:43,739 black holes large other galaxies this is 72 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:46,319 a fundamental process that occurs and 73 00:03:52,220 --> 00:03:48,690 MMS is going to revolutionize our 74 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:52,230 standing of it if you in that movie we 75 00:03:56,210 --> 00:03:54,570 saw as a very large-scale system looking 76 00:03:57,950 --> 00:03:56,220 from the Sun all the way through space 77 00:04:01,700 --> 00:03:57,960 the earth how do we study that system 78 00:04:03,500 --> 00:04:01,710 the next graphic you see here shows you 79 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:03,510 the our Healy physics system observatory 80 00:04:09,290 --> 00:04:05,570 the fleet of spacecraft that nASA uses 81 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:09,300 to look at this connected system we're 82 00:04:14,540 --> 00:04:12,090 studying the Sun how the solar storms 83 00:04:18,830 --> 00:04:14,550 erupt from the Sun how they travel 84 00:04:22,009 --> 00:04:18,840 through space how they interact with the 85 00:04:25,310 --> 00:04:22,019 Earth's magnetic environment and and so 86 00:04:29,030 --> 00:04:25,320 we need this whole system together MMS 87 00:04:32,330 --> 00:04:29,040 is going to fill a key part of this new 88 00:04:34,610 --> 00:04:32,340 system you look at the my next view 89 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:34,620 you'll start to see introduce you to MMS 90 00:04:39,260 --> 00:04:37,410 what does MMS doing it's going to 91 00:04:41,450 --> 00:04:39,270 actually fly in the Earth's 92 00:04:46,220 --> 00:04:41,460 magnetosphere this protective magnetic 93 00:04:49,910 --> 00:04:46,230 environment around the earth and you can 94 00:04:52,010 --> 00:04:49,920 see here the observatories we're using 95 00:04:54,290 --> 00:04:52,020 this environment around the earth as a 96 00:04:55,909 --> 00:04:54,300 natural laboratory we've actually rather 97 00:04:57,590 --> 00:04:55,919 than building one on earth we're going 98 00:05:00,380 --> 00:04:57,600 to wear these magnetic reconnection 99 00:05:03,050 --> 00:05:00,390 actually occurs in space so we can 100 00:05:05,930 --> 00:05:03,060 understand it you'll see here as you see 101 00:05:08,210 --> 00:05:05,940 we have four spacecraft which gives us a 102 00:05:09,710 --> 00:05:08,220 three-dimensional understanding and in 103 00:05:11,830 --> 00:05:09,720 fact a four dimensional understanding 104 00:05:14,630 --> 00:05:11,840 you'll hear about the instruments that 105 00:05:16,909 --> 00:05:14,640 revolutionize our ability to make 106 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:16,919 measurements in time as well as in space 107 00:05:21,830 --> 00:05:18,930 to tell you some of the details about it 108 00:05:22,340 --> 00:05:21,840 I want to introduce dr. Jim birch thank 109 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:22,350 you Jeff 110 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:24,810 sunlight in starlight ionized as thin 111 00:05:29,420 --> 00:05:26,970 gases that fill the solar system and 112 00:05:31,550 --> 00:05:29,430 galaxies and this so-called plasma state 113 00:05:33,860 --> 00:05:31,560 electric and magnetic forces are 114 00:05:36,380 --> 00:05:33,870 stronger than gravity and many dynamic 115 00:05:39,290 --> 00:05:36,390 phenomena occur the most energetic of 116 00:05:40,970 --> 00:05:39,300 these is magnetic reconnection it occurs 117 00:05:43,730 --> 00:05:40,980 when magnetic fields and adjacent 118 00:05:46,220 --> 00:05:43,740 regions of space interconnect and the 119 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:46,230 process magnetic energy is destroyed and 120 00:05:51,830 --> 00:05:48,570 heat and kinetic energy are released 121 00:05:53,930 --> 00:05:51,840 because of its explosive nature magnetic 122 00:05:57,380 --> 00:05:53,940 reconnection is often described as a 123 00:05:59,990 --> 00:05:57,390 magnetic explosion in space reconnection 124 00:06:02,659 --> 00:06:00,000 is important to us as the engine that 125 00:06:04,369 --> 00:06:02,669 drives space weather and a main dish 126 00:06:06,830 --> 00:06:04,379 - that is frustrating our attempts to 127 00:06:09,980 --> 00:06:06,840 harness nuclear fusion with magnetic 128 00:06:11,989 --> 00:06:09,990 containment devices the MMS mission will 129 00:06:14,749 --> 00:06:11,999 conduct a definitive experiment in space 130 00:06:17,300 --> 00:06:14,759 that will finally allow us to understand 131 00:06:20,089 --> 00:06:17,310 how magnetic reconnection works let's 132 00:06:22,429 --> 00:06:20,099 look at a video magnetic fields exists 133 00:06:25,089 --> 00:06:22,439 throughout the universe and energy is 134 00:06:27,980 --> 00:06:25,099 often released by magnetic reconnection 135 00:06:29,450 --> 00:06:27,990 in the outer parts of our galaxy or at 136 00:06:31,159 --> 00:06:29,460 the centre of our galaxy there's a black 137 00:06:32,959 --> 00:06:31,169 hole and these are x-ray flares that 138 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:32,969 have been observed recently caused by 139 00:06:37,730 --> 00:06:35,610 reconnection in the sun's superheated 140 00:06:40,550 --> 00:06:37,740 corona magnetic fields create 141 00:06:42,700 --> 00:06:40,560 spectacular loops and arcades the energy 142 00:06:45,409 --> 00:06:42,710 stored in these structures can release 143 00:06:48,860 --> 00:06:45,419 creating explosive solar flares and 144 00:06:50,959 --> 00:06:48,870 coronal mass ejections intense fluxes of 145 00:06:53,390 --> 00:06:50,969 energetic particles and giant clouds of 146 00:06:55,850 --> 00:06:53,400 ionized gas and magnetic fields are 147 00:06:57,950 --> 00:06:55,860 ejected from the Sun and traveled 148 00:07:00,290 --> 00:06:57,960 throughout the solar system when these 149 00:07:02,570 --> 00:07:00,300 clouds impact other magnetic fields such 150 00:07:05,059 --> 00:07:02,580 as the Earth's similar reconnection 151 00:07:08,170 --> 00:07:05,069 events occur and these caused intense 152 00:07:11,540 --> 00:07:08,180 magnetic activity and the Aurora lights 153 00:07:14,749 --> 00:07:11,550 at the same time they accelerate charged 154 00:07:16,700 --> 00:07:14,759 particles to high energies creating a 155 00:07:19,459 --> 00:07:16,710 hazard to space travelers in spacecraft 156 00:07:23,510 --> 00:07:19,469 and even disrupting ground-based power 157 00:07:28,939 --> 00:07:23,520 grids magnetic reconnection also occurs 158 00:07:30,769 --> 00:07:28,949 in laboratory devices and this is a 159 00:07:32,929 --> 00:07:30,779 major magnetic storm at the earth 160 00:07:36,139 --> 00:07:32,939 producing the aurora in the laboratory 161 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:36,149 devices that are designed to harness 162 00:07:40,309 --> 00:07:38,490 nuclear fusion by heating up the plasma 163 00:07:42,740 --> 00:07:40,319 confined by magnetic fields events 164 00:07:44,749 --> 00:07:42,750 called sawtooth crashes have thwarted 165 00:07:48,740 --> 00:07:44,759 efforts to permanently solve the energy 166 00:07:51,649 --> 00:07:48,750 crisis our next slide shows a simplified 167 00:07:54,230 --> 00:07:51,659 picture of reconnection a fundamental 168 00:07:57,050 --> 00:07:54,240 question is why and how does magnetic 169 00:07:59,659 --> 00:07:57,060 reconnection take place the answer is in 170 00:08:02,629 --> 00:07:59,669 one sense simple but in another sense 171 00:08:04,820 --> 00:08:02,639 complex and mysterious the simple part 172 00:08:06,649 --> 00:08:04,830 is that adjacent magnetic fields 173 00:08:08,990 --> 00:08:06,659 pointing in opposite directions tend to 174 00:08:11,180 --> 00:08:09,000 annihilate each other releasing their 175 00:08:13,009 --> 00:08:11,190 magnetic energy and heating the charged 176 00:08:15,129 --> 00:08:13,019 particles in the surrounding environment 177 00:08:16,370 --> 00:08:15,139 and this process magnetic reconnection 178 00:08:18,050 --> 00:08:16,380 the May 179 00:08:20,180 --> 00:08:18,060 kinetic fields are torn apart and 180 00:08:22,610 --> 00:08:20,190 reattached to their neighbors the 181 00:08:25,700 --> 00:08:22,620 mysterious part is what goes in on 182 00:08:28,130 --> 00:08:25,710 inside the box labeled effusion region 183 00:08:30,500 --> 00:08:28,140 with MMS we will be able to probe the 184 00:08:32,420 --> 00:08:30,510 diffusion region for the first time with 185 00:08:35,150 --> 00:08:32,430 measurements down to the smallest scale 186 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:35,160 of the plasma the electrons scale to 187 00:08:39,950 --> 00:08:36,770 solve this mystery 188 00:08:42,020 --> 00:08:39,960 the next animation is going to show 189 00:08:44,089 --> 00:08:42,030 reconnection of simulations this is the 190 00:08:46,100 --> 00:08:44,099 magnetosphere solar wind coming in from 191 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:46,110 the left there are two boxes these are 192 00:08:50,810 --> 00:08:48,450 our targets on the day side and one in 193 00:08:53,930 --> 00:08:50,820 the tail on the right inside these boxes 194 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:53,940 reconnection is going on and this video 195 00:08:56,990 --> 00:08:55,890 shows how this animation shows one of 196 00:08:59,690 --> 00:08:57,000 the latest and most sophisticated 197 00:09:02,300 --> 00:08:59,700 computer simulations of the diffusion 198 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:02,310 region we know what goes on outside of 199 00:09:06,950 --> 00:09:04,890 this box from some previous missions but 200 00:09:09,170 --> 00:09:06,960 what goes on inside the box is a mystery 201 00:09:11,990 --> 00:09:09,180 even with the simulations because they 202 00:09:14,540 --> 00:09:12,000 cannot simulate everything computers are 203 00:09:17,060 --> 00:09:14,550 not big enough and so we have to fly 204 00:09:19,220 --> 00:09:17,070 spacecraft in that box and we have to 205 00:09:20,780 --> 00:09:19,230 put four spacecraft in there and make 206 00:09:23,510 --> 00:09:20,790 particle measurements a hundred times 207 00:09:26,060 --> 00:09:23,520 faster that have been attempted in 208 00:09:28,580 --> 00:09:26,070 previous missions now this is our 209 00:09:30,650 --> 00:09:28,590 orbital strategy the videos showing the 210 00:09:32,900 --> 00:09:30,660 launch of the satellites the four 211 00:09:35,150 --> 00:09:32,910 spacecraft in a pyramid configuration 212 00:09:39,290 --> 00:09:35,160 lost on the night side we spend six 213 00:09:41,270 --> 00:09:39,300 months getting the instruments ready and 214 00:09:43,190 --> 00:09:41,280 then we scan through the day side along 215 00:09:45,830 --> 00:09:43,200 the magnetopause where reconnection is 216 00:09:48,230 --> 00:09:45,840 occurring adjusting the spacing between 217 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:48,240 the spacecraft down to a minimum of 10 218 00:09:53,210 --> 00:09:50,490 kilometers and we make two scans to the 219 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:53,220 day side at this point we raise the 220 00:09:59,150 --> 00:09:56,370 Apogee 225 Earth radii and make one scan 221 00:10:02,120 --> 00:09:59,160 through the magnetotail also adjusting 222 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:02,130 the spacing between the spacecraft now 223 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:03,930 to tell us how we accomplish this with 224 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:06,810 the spacecraft is Greg Dulli project 225 00:10:12,050 --> 00:10:09,930 manager good afternoon I'm going to talk 226 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:12,060 just a little bit about these incredible 227 00:10:15,560 --> 00:10:14,250 machines that we've built and how we're 228 00:10:17,750 --> 00:10:15,570 going to fly them to create this 229 00:10:20,420 --> 00:10:17,760 institute flying laboratory that the 230 00:10:23,560 --> 00:10:20,430 gentlemen have just described in my 231 00:10:26,990 --> 00:10:23,570 first photograph which you can see 232 00:10:28,820 --> 00:10:27,000 you'll see the four MMS observatories in 233 00:10:29,900 --> 00:10:28,830 there in the cleanroom at Goddard Space 234 00:10:31,310 --> 00:10:29,910 Flight Center and EDA God 235 00:10:34,780 --> 00:10:31,320 Space Flight Center where we designed 236 00:10:37,790 --> 00:10:34,790 and built and tested these observatories 237 00:10:41,030 --> 00:10:37,800 the instruments and there are a hundred 238 00:10:42,140 --> 00:10:41,040 of them were led and brought to goddard 239 00:10:44,060 --> 00:10:42,150 by the Southwest Research Institute 240 00:10:46,340 --> 00:10:44,070 where we then integrated them with these 241 00:10:49,070 --> 00:10:46,350 four observatories and you can see in 242 00:10:50,810 --> 00:10:49,080 the picture the red covers show you some 243 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:50,820 examples of the instruments and such and 244 00:10:57,560 --> 00:10:52,730 there are covers on the solar arrays now 245 00:11:00,500 --> 00:10:57,570 in the next photograph we could bring 246 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:00,510 the next time you see you see the stack 247 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:02,130 where you can actually see the solar 248 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:04,770 arrays and the instruments on the top 249 00:11:10,340 --> 00:11:07,530 edge of that octagonal perimeter and 250 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:10,350 we're flanked there by the two halves of 251 00:11:14,690 --> 00:11:12,330 the Atlas fairing the four meter fairing 252 00:11:18,590 --> 00:11:14,700 each of those MMS spacecraft weighs just 253 00:11:20,810 --> 00:11:18,600 shy of 3,000 pounds about 900 pounds of 254 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:20,820 that is fuel we carry and they measure 255 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:22,650 each about four feet tall by about 256 00:11:27,620 --> 00:11:25,050 twelve feet across that octagonal 257 00:11:29,930 --> 00:11:27,630 cross-section a couple things that are 258 00:11:31,790 --> 00:11:29,940 very special about MMS and indeed some 259 00:11:33,890 --> 00:11:31,800 of the challenges we faced in building 260 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:33,900 them and and some of the reason that we 261 00:11:38,660 --> 00:11:36,330 built them ourselves at NASA is in order 262 00:11:40,730 --> 00:11:38,670 to make the measurements that were 263 00:11:42,410 --> 00:11:40,740 described these very precise a magnetic 264 00:11:44,420 --> 00:11:42,420 field electric field and particle 265 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:44,430 measurements our own spacecraft has to 266 00:11:49,430 --> 00:11:46,410 be very very clean meaning they can't 267 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:49,440 have very much a significant electric 268 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:52,410 field or magnetic moment of their own we 269 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:54,330 don't want to see our own noise so we've 270 00:11:58,280 --> 00:11:56,370 built spacecraft in this case that are 271 00:12:01,490 --> 00:11:58,290 more than a lot more than a hundred 272 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:01,500 times lower residual magnetism and more 273 00:12:04,700 --> 00:12:03,210 than a thousand times lower than what is 274 00:12:06,740 --> 00:12:04,710 typical for spacecraft to have in terms 275 00:12:08,300 --> 00:12:06,750 of electric charge so every aspect of 276 00:12:09,980 --> 00:12:08,310 these spacecraft was designed to be very 277 00:12:11,870 --> 00:12:09,990 clean so we can make these precision 278 00:12:13,610 --> 00:12:11,880 measurements the other aspect of these 279 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:13,620 is these are spinning spacecraft as was 280 00:12:17,810 --> 00:12:15,330 mentioned so they have to be precisely 281 00:12:19,610 --> 00:12:17,820 balanced even as we deplete the fuel 282 00:12:21,530 --> 00:12:19,620 they have to be balanced because we need 283 00:12:22,730 --> 00:12:21,540 to keep an in this little model of MMS 284 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:22,740 we have to keep these very precisely 285 00:12:27,260 --> 00:12:25,050 oriented with respect to the ecliptic 286 00:12:29,690 --> 00:12:27,270 north of our solar system all the while 287 00:12:31,250 --> 00:12:29,700 while spinning now lastly this is a 288 00:12:34,250 --> 00:12:31,260 fairly large stack and when we stack it 289 00:12:37,250 --> 00:12:34,260 up when you saw it that's about 16 feet 290 00:12:39,650 --> 00:12:37,260 tall but the in this picture what you 291 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:39,660 can't see is when we when we deploy 292 00:12:47,580 --> 00:12:43,130 these we then extend sensor booms 293 00:12:49,270 --> 00:12:47,590 each one of these we deploy 16 feet of 294 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:49,280 magnetometer booms you'll see those 295 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:51,290 unfolding a video in a moment we then 296 00:12:56,890 --> 00:12:54,290 also extend 50 feet of booms out that 297 00:13:00,400 --> 00:12:56,900 along the spin axis this way and then we 298 00:13:02,470 --> 00:13:00,410 finally on four sides put out almost 200 299 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:02,480 feet of wire booms with sensors on the 300 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:04,370 end all of these booms then enable us to 301 00:13:08,950 --> 00:13:06,890 measure in three dimensions the electric 302 00:13:10,990 --> 00:13:08,960 fields in the magnetic fields we do all 303 00:13:13,060 --> 00:13:11,000 this with spinning spacecraft that we're 304 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:13,070 flying in a formation as close as 10 305 00:13:19,620 --> 00:13:16,250 kilometers to give you some sense of 306 00:13:22,690 --> 00:13:19,630 scale once we've deployed these booms an 307 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:22,700 MMS footprint is about the size of a 308 00:13:27,850 --> 00:13:24,890 full baseball field so we end up flying 309 00:13:29,350 --> 00:13:27,860 for baseball fields kind of in a 310 00:13:31,330 --> 00:13:29,360 distance that ends up being about the 311 00:13:34,540 --> 00:13:31,340 size of Washington DC separation when 312 00:13:36,430 --> 00:13:34,550 we're 10 kilometres apart in the video 313 00:13:38,050 --> 00:13:36,440 we'll show next and we can bring it up 314 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:38,060 and I'll narrate it I'll describe a 315 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:40,010 little bit about what are what are only 316 00:13:43,510 --> 00:13:41,210 a few weeks from now it's going to look 317 00:13:46,060 --> 00:13:43,520 like that's the Atlas rocket on the pad 318 00:13:49,090 --> 00:13:46,070 of course that's our launch vehicle in 319 00:13:51,100 --> 00:13:49,100 some aspects of this video are sped up 320 00:13:52,420 --> 00:13:51,110 otherwise this must come to be very long 321 00:13:54,550 --> 00:13:52,430 and I'll comment on that when you see 322 00:13:57,730 --> 00:13:54,560 them but there's our launch on the Atlas 323 00:14:00,520 --> 00:13:57,740 5 we then here you'll see the booster 324 00:14:02,860 --> 00:14:00,530 separate in the Centaur upper stage will 325 00:14:05,680 --> 00:14:02,870 carry us on our initial orbit that Jim 326 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:05,690 showed you the fairing separates which 327 00:14:09,670 --> 00:14:07,730 we detect and there's our stack of four 328 00:14:11,890 --> 00:14:09,680 MMS spacecrafts already spun up by the 329 00:14:14,830 --> 00:14:11,900 Atlas centaur now you'll see them start 330 00:14:16,540 --> 00:14:14,840 to separate from the top down in in 331 00:14:18,610 --> 00:14:16,550 actuality it's about five minutes 332 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:18,620 between the separation events as we get 333 00:14:22,030 --> 00:14:20,330 a the separation distance we want 334 00:14:25,830 --> 00:14:22,040 initially we sped it up here to show you 335 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:25,840 and here you'll see that first 16-foot 336 00:14:29,380 --> 00:14:27,890 magnetometer pair of booms deploy 337 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:29,390 outward on the bottom side of the 338 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:34,210 spacecraft and then shortly we will see 339 00:14:40,270 --> 00:14:37,010 the example where we start releasing 340 00:14:41,590 --> 00:14:40,280 those 200-foot wire booms out the side 341 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:41,600 all the while while spinning all the 342 00:14:46,060 --> 00:14:43,010 wobble keeping this thing very very 343 00:14:48,220 --> 00:14:46,070 stable and then finally in this in this 344 00:14:51,550 --> 00:14:48,230 in this video you'll see those both spin 345 00:14:53,710 --> 00:14:51,560 axis or axial booms deployed up where 346 00:14:57,010 --> 00:14:53,720 they uncoil their folded coil booms 347 00:14:59,740 --> 00:14:57,020 leaving us with with these very large 348 00:15:02,440 --> 00:14:59,750 spacecraft in a formation that forms 349 00:15:04,780 --> 00:15:02,450 this laboratory and as this video rolls 350 00:15:06,730 --> 00:15:04,790 on with another Liberty with the video 351 00:15:07,810 --> 00:15:06,740 as you can begin to see other MMS in the 352 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:07,820 picture I don't think you'd see them 353 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:09,770 quite this well at ten kilometres but 354 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:11,210 you get the idea we are flying these 355 00:15:16,780 --> 00:15:14,330 four spinning very large once deployed 356 00:15:20,050 --> 00:15:16,790 spacecraft in formation we maintain that 357 00:15:22,510 --> 00:15:20,060 formation to an accuracy of a hundred 358 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:22,520 meters so I'm flying ten kilometres 359 00:15:27,550 --> 00:15:25,370 apart using the GPS on the that is 360 00:15:29,290 --> 00:15:27,560 actually below us a GPS system we built 361 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:29,300 we keep track and maneuver this 362 00:15:35,110 --> 00:15:31,130 formation to the to within a hundred 363 00:15:37,450 --> 00:15:35,120 meters now to talk a little bit more 364 00:15:39,310 --> 00:15:37,460 about the bigger picture of what we're 365 00:15:41,290 --> 00:15:39,320 doing with MMS and how it fits in the 366 00:15:44,890 --> 00:15:41,300 bigger picture of heliophysics I'll I'll 367 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:44,900 turn it over to Paul Thank You Craig so 368 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:46,370 I'm really excited to talk to you today 369 00:15:51,070 --> 00:15:48,890 about why scientists are waiting with 370 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:51,080 bated breath for MMS to be launched and 371 00:15:55,300 --> 00:15:53,330 why everyone should also be excited 372 00:15:59,770 --> 00:15:55,310 about what we're going to be able to 373 00:16:01,870 --> 00:15:59,780 learn so the first M in MMS stands for 374 00:16:03,700 --> 00:16:01,880 my neato spheric the earth has a 375 00:16:06,310 --> 00:16:03,710 magnetic field that sticks out into 376 00:16:08,260 --> 00:16:06,320 space and a part of space where the 377 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:08,270 magnetic field is dominant is called the 378 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:10,490 magnetosphere outside the magnetosphere 379 00:16:16,450 --> 00:16:14,690 you have particles from the Sun being 380 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:16,460 spewed out that's called the solar wind 381 00:16:21,220 --> 00:16:19,370 and those particles that would normally 382 00:16:22,930 --> 00:16:21,230 run into Earth instead they run into the 383 00:16:24,670 --> 00:16:22,940 Earth's magnetic field so the Earth's 384 00:16:27,820 --> 00:16:24,680 magnetic field is very important in 385 00:16:30,910 --> 00:16:27,830 protecting us from the particles from 386 00:16:33,220 --> 00:16:30,920 the Sun so shown here in my first 387 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:33,230 graphic is a sketch of the Earth's 388 00:16:37,450 --> 00:16:34,970 magnetosphere which comes from a 389 00:16:38,890 --> 00:16:37,460 computer simulation the earth is the 390 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:38,900 ball in the middle and the 391 00:16:42,850 --> 00:16:40,610 strange-looking yellow lines represent 392 00:16:45,580 --> 00:16:42,860 the magnetic field the lines connecting 393 00:16:48,460 --> 00:16:45,590 to the earth in the center are in our 394 00:16:50,230 --> 00:16:48,470 the magnetosphere and on the left you 395 00:16:53,470 --> 00:16:50,240 see a magnetic field line and that one 396 00:16:55,990 --> 00:16:53,480 is being pushed in away from the Sun by 397 00:16:57,820 --> 00:16:56,000 the solar wind towards the earth so as 398 00:16:59,830 --> 00:16:57,830 we've heard from the other panelists the 399 00:17:01,420 --> 00:16:59,840 MMS mission is designed to study 400 00:17:04,780 --> 00:17:01,430 magnetic reconnection using the 401 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:04,790 magnetosphere as a laboratory it occurs 402 00:17:08,590 --> 00:17:06,770 when oppositely directed magnetic fields 403 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:08,600 point in opposite directions and they 404 00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:10,850 come together and effectively break 405 00:17:15,039 --> 00:17:12,770 so we will see this in motion in a 406 00:17:17,169 --> 00:17:15,049 moment magnetic fields from the solar 407 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:17,179 wind in this animation will come in from 408 00:17:20,620 --> 00:17:19,010 the left side and when they reach the 409 00:17:22,689 --> 00:17:20,630 magnetosphere they will break and that's 410 00:17:25,659 --> 00:17:22,699 what magnetic reconnection is so let's 411 00:17:27,549 --> 00:17:25,669 go ahead and roll the animation so you 412 00:17:29,380 --> 00:17:27,559 can see the field lines coming in from 413 00:17:31,930 --> 00:17:29,390 the left and breaking when they reach 414 00:17:34,570 --> 00:17:31,940 the magnetosphere and that's a magnetic 415 00:17:36,370 --> 00:17:34,580 reconnection but the process doesn't end 416 00:17:39,190 --> 00:17:36,380 there you see these magnetic fields 417 00:17:41,529 --> 00:17:39,200 being dragged away from the Sun and when 418 00:17:44,590 --> 00:17:41,539 they get to the the far side of the 419 00:17:46,090 --> 00:17:44,600 earth the field lines are oppositely 420 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:46,100 directed again and they break again 421 00:17:50,260 --> 00:17:48,530 that's again the process of magnetic 422 00:17:51,899 --> 00:17:50,270 reconnection and you can see what 423 00:17:54,220 --> 00:17:51,909 happens is the magnetic field lines 424 00:17:57,430 --> 00:17:54,230 shoot back towards Earth and that's 425 00:17:59,110 --> 00:17:57,440 where it gets interesting for us so the 426 00:18:01,600 --> 00:17:59,120 magnetic fields snap back like rubber 427 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:01,610 bands and blast these hot particles back 428 00:18:06,250 --> 00:18:04,730 towards the earth so as we saw in Jim's 429 00:18:09,190 --> 00:18:06,260 animation some of these particles 430 00:18:11,289 --> 00:18:09,200 harmlessly run into the atmosphere at 431 00:18:13,570 --> 00:18:11,299 earth and when they do they excite the 432 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:13,580 gas up there and they the gas ends up 433 00:18:17,890 --> 00:18:15,530 giving off light and that's what we on 434 00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:17,900 earth see as the northern and southern 435 00:18:24,220 --> 00:18:20,330 lights also known as aurora as pictured 436 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:24,230 here however as we've also heard from 437 00:18:28,180 --> 00:18:26,330 the other panelists the particles can 438 00:18:31,270 --> 00:18:28,190 cause problems too so there's a number 439 00:18:33,730 --> 00:18:31,280 of satellites in space that we use for 440 00:18:36,909 --> 00:18:33,740 very important things like cell phone 441 00:18:39,460 --> 00:18:36,919 communication and GPS so if these 442 00:18:42,909 --> 00:18:39,470 particles run into the satellites they 443 00:18:44,770 --> 00:18:42,919 can short out the circuits and can knock 444 00:18:47,770 --> 00:18:44,780 out the satellites and that would cause 445 00:18:50,020 --> 00:18:47,780 problems for cell phone reception the 446 00:18:52,390 --> 00:18:50,030 moving magnetic fields can also drive 447 00:18:56,169 --> 00:18:52,400 electric currents on the earth and that 448 00:18:58,600 --> 00:18:56,179 can overload transformers and lead to 449 00:19:00,640 --> 00:18:58,610 power outages which has happened in 450 00:19:03,250 --> 00:19:00,650 Canada and the United States and parts 451 00:19:05,890 --> 00:19:03,260 of Europe so all of these are aspects of 452 00:19:08,169 --> 00:19:05,900 what are known as what's known as space 453 00:19:10,299 --> 00:19:08,179 weather and so you can see that magnetic 454 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:10,309 reconnection plays a very important part 455 00:19:15,340 --> 00:19:13,970 in space weather and that's why it's 456 00:19:17,590 --> 00:19:15,350 important for us to study the 457 00:19:19,419 --> 00:19:17,600 fundamental science of magnetic 458 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:19,429 reconnection in order to understand it 459 00:19:23,950 --> 00:19:21,890 so that's just one reason that MMS is 460 00:19:25,630 --> 00:19:23,960 important to all of us 461 00:19:28,860 --> 00:19:25,640 so why is mms so important to science 462 00:19:31,950 --> 00:19:28,870 scientists so going back to the name mms 463 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:31,960 ii M and the F stand for multi scale 464 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:34,730 this signifies that reconnection happens 465 00:19:40,360 --> 00:19:37,490 at a very small region in space as we 466 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:40,370 saw in the animation but it impacts a 467 00:19:44,980 --> 00:19:42,770 huge region of space of the whole 468 00:19:47,380 --> 00:19:44,990 magnetosphere which is a million miles 469 00:19:49,630 --> 00:19:47,390 long this makes it extremely difficult 470 00:19:52,150 --> 00:19:49,640 to study so like a cosmic version of 471 00:19:53,890 --> 00:19:52,160 finding a needle in a haystack the best 472 00:19:55,510 --> 00:19:53,900 we've been able to measure magnetic 473 00:19:57,490 --> 00:19:55,520 reconnection in the magnetosphere has 474 00:20:01,030 --> 00:19:57,500 been with a mission with four satellites 475 00:20:04,570 --> 00:20:01,040 in a pyramid and they were separated by 476 00:20:06,820 --> 00:20:04,580 600 kilometres or more so 600 kilometres 477 00:20:09,870 --> 00:20:06,830 is the distance from Washington DC to 478 00:20:12,610 --> 00:20:09,880 Boston but as we've heard from Craig the 479 00:20:14,470 --> 00:20:12,620 four spacecraft for MMS will be 480 00:20:16,660 --> 00:20:14,480 separated by only 10 kilometers which is 481 00:20:18,310 --> 00:20:16,670 about the size of Washington DC so much 482 00:20:21,460 --> 00:20:18,320 closer than we've ever been able to see 483 00:20:23,710 --> 00:20:21,470 before in addition as we've heard we'll 484 00:20:25,450 --> 00:20:23,720 get the data much faster than we have in 485 00:20:27,790 --> 00:20:25,460 the past a hundred times faster than 486 00:20:29,860 --> 00:20:27,800 previous missions so to get a feel for 487 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:29,870 what this is like picture watching a 488 00:20:33,730 --> 00:20:31,970 football game and you can watch for a 489 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:33,740 minute at a time but you have to wait an 490 00:20:37,390 --> 00:20:35,690 hour in between times that you can watch 491 00:20:39,670 --> 00:20:37,400 it would be really hard to figure out 492 00:20:41,140 --> 00:20:39,680 what's going on in the football game so 493 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:41,150 these are the problems that have been 494 00:20:46,150 --> 00:20:43,610 plaguing researchers studying magnetic 495 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:46,160 reconnection is that we can't see the 496 00:20:51,190 --> 00:20:49,490 smaller scales and we can't process the 497 00:20:52,570 --> 00:20:51,200 data fast enough to really understand 498 00:20:55,120 --> 00:20:52,580 what happens right at the place where 499 00:20:56,560 --> 00:20:55,130 magnetic reconnection happens so this 500 00:20:59,830 --> 00:20:56,570 makes it difficult to see for example 501 00:21:02,350 --> 00:20:59,840 how particles get accelerated and heated 502 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:02,360 during magnetic reconnection events so 503 00:21:05,860 --> 00:21:04,610 you can see NASA's MMS mission is really 504 00:21:08,140 --> 00:21:05,870 going to give scientists an 505 00:21:11,890 --> 00:21:08,150 unprecedented opportunity to study 506 00:21:15,460 --> 00:21:11,900 reconnection go back to tween thank you 507 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:15,470 Paul and in folks okay so let's see if 508 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:18,050 we can go ahead and go take questions 509 00:21:22,540 --> 00:21:20,330 we're start with we're here in the NASA 510 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:22,550 TV studio with the question here and 511 00:21:25,870 --> 00:21:23,930 then we'll go to the phone lines and 512 00:21:28,120 --> 00:21:25,880 then we'll go to social media if you can 513 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:28,130 wait for the microphone say your name in 514 00:21:33,220 --> 00:21:31,490 you know affiliation please Adam interim 515 00:21:35,950 --> 00:21:33,230 until news service and actually a 516 00:21:37,330 --> 00:21:35,960 question for Greg you mentioned the four 517 00:21:39,430 --> 00:21:37,340 different 518 00:21:41,410 --> 00:21:39,440 shuttles that are being used can you 519 00:21:44,050 --> 00:21:41,420 explain why specifically there needed to 520 00:21:46,360 --> 00:21:44,060 be for and whether kind of these four 521 00:21:48,700 --> 00:21:46,370 shuttles flying so close together is a 522 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:48,710 norm and something that typically is 523 00:21:55,630 --> 00:21:54,050 done but their spacecraft or 524 00:21:57,670 --> 00:21:55,640 observatories but I wouldn't I wouldn't 525 00:21:59,530 --> 00:21:57,680 call them shuttles I mean we have we 526 00:22:01,480 --> 00:21:59,540 have for MMS spacecraft we there's a 527 00:22:04,780 --> 00:22:01,490 model of them there but the reason we 528 00:22:06,970 --> 00:22:04,790 have four is is as we've talked about we 529 00:22:09,010 --> 00:22:06,980 want to measure this phenomenon we want 530 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:09,020 to capture it in three dimensions and so 531 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:10,850 if you just kind of imagine if I've got 532 00:22:15,460 --> 00:22:12,770 three things no matter how I put them 533 00:22:17,230 --> 00:22:15,470 down they'll define a plane I can only 534 00:22:18,820 --> 00:22:17,240 get two dimensions with three objects so 535 00:22:21,730 --> 00:22:18,830 in order to have four measurements 536 00:22:23,620 --> 00:22:21,740 simultaneously of whatever's going on I 537 00:22:25,030 --> 00:22:23,630 really need to have at least four points 538 00:22:27,100 --> 00:22:25,040 in space and that's what we talked about 539 00:22:28,930 --> 00:22:27,110 making a pyramid there's three of them 540 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:28,940 and another one here so now we have a 541 00:22:33,430 --> 00:22:31,730 three dimensional shall we say sensor 542 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:33,440 made up of four satellites so we can 543 00:22:42,790 --> 00:22:35,930 know what's going on in 3d and we also 544 00:22:47,470 --> 00:22:44,890 studies in the future know that this 545 00:22:49,660 --> 00:22:47,480 mission is this mission is is dedicated 546 00:22:51,550 --> 00:22:49,670 and indeed we we anticipate it will 547 00:22:53,470 --> 00:22:51,560 largely solve the mystery of magnetic 548 00:22:55,300 --> 00:22:53,480 reconnection but it's it's a mission 549 00:22:57,820 --> 00:22:55,310 dedicated to that they'll fly for two 550 00:22:59,980 --> 00:22:57,830 years possibly more if we if we decide 551 00:23:02,490 --> 00:22:59,990 to extend the mission but they're Persol 552 00:23:04,990 --> 00:23:02,500 purposes is to is to probe and really 553 00:23:11,110 --> 00:23:05,000 understand and solve the mysteries of 554 00:23:13,030 --> 00:23:11,120 magnetic reconnection okay we're gonna 555 00:23:17,770 --> 00:23:13,040 kind of switch gears here we're gonna go 556 00:23:20,140 --> 00:23:17,780 to social media and Karen Fox who's on 557 00:23:21,370 --> 00:23:20,150 the board there what's going on in 558 00:23:24,820 --> 00:23:21,380 community of course since they're coming 559 00:23:29,020 --> 00:23:24,830 up some questions for you at bone Drake 560 00:23:31,390 --> 00:23:29,030 has asked us she's been studying SMAP a 561 00:23:33,130 --> 00:23:31,400 recent NASA mission in her high school 562 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:33,140 Global Studies class she's wondering 563 00:23:36,940 --> 00:23:34,970 whether MMS will be related to that and 564 00:23:39,430 --> 00:23:36,950 then the question is how will MMS data 565 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:39,440 be connected to some of the other 566 00:23:46,150 --> 00:23:43,850 missions that we have so this is Jeff 567 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:46,160 DeMarco I'll take that 568 00:23:50,700 --> 00:23:48,650 SMAP is an earth science mission looking 569 00:23:53,250 --> 00:23:50,710 at soil moisture 570 00:23:57,390 --> 00:23:53,260 and this mission is not really related 571 00:23:59,130 --> 00:23:57,400 to that it really is looking at a very 572 00:24:00,990 --> 00:23:59,140 different phenomenon no it's really 573 00:24:03,120 --> 00:24:01,000 looking at the environment our near 574 00:24:05,370 --> 00:24:03,130 space environment where SMAP is looking 575 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:05,380 down at the soy so in the soil 576 00:24:14,790 --> 00:24:09,010 throughout the over the earth in terms 577 00:24:16,460 --> 00:24:14,800 of how the data works together again 578 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:16,470 where I showed you earlier in the video 579 00:24:22,740 --> 00:24:20,410 we have today spacecraft that look at 580 00:24:25,860 --> 00:24:22,750 the Sun look at the initiation of those 581 00:24:28,050 --> 00:24:25,870 solar storms we watch those storms 582 00:24:31,410 --> 00:24:28,060 travel through interplanetary space 583 00:24:33,990 --> 00:24:31,420 going towards the earth and then we we 584 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:34,000 don't really know what happens as they 585 00:24:39,120 --> 00:24:35,770 interact with the Earth's magnetic field 586 00:24:42,420 --> 00:24:39,130 so we use the other spacecraft to set up 587 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:42,430 the contacts and that allows MMS to then 588 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:44,530 study the details of what's going on in 589 00:24:49,530 --> 00:24:45,970 that magnetic reconnection zone that you 590 00:24:51,060 --> 00:24:49,540 heard so much about you have any other 591 00:24:52,350 --> 00:24:51,070 questions can but take two more from 592 00:24:54,930 --> 00:24:52,360 social media and we go to the phone line 593 00:24:57,600 --> 00:24:54,940 and we'll come back another question 594 00:25:00,210 --> 00:24:57,610 from at beastmode I wanted to follow up 595 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:00,220 on the GPS that Craig Tooley mentioned 596 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:03,010 can you describe how mms uses GPS and 597 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:06,610 relies on it please sure our GPS system 598 00:25:10,790 --> 00:25:08,170 and and it's actually got a name it's 599 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:10,800 called navigator which is quite fitting 600 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:13,810 the way the way it works is what I mean 601 00:25:17,100 --> 00:25:15,850 much as we use GPS on the ground as you 602 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:17,110 would use in your handheld or in your 603 00:25:21,180 --> 00:25:19,090 car or on your phone we use it to 604 00:25:22,890 --> 00:25:21,190 determine our location of each 605 00:25:25,500 --> 00:25:22,900 Observatory which is very important 606 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:25,510 because that's that's how we you know we 607 00:25:29,490 --> 00:25:27,850 we begin to understand where we are in 608 00:25:32,390 --> 00:25:29,500 these orbits because essentially MMS 609 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:32,400 flies for very similar but not identical 610 00:25:36,330 --> 00:25:34,450 orbits all the time in order to maintain 611 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:36,340 that formation you can imagine for over 612 00:25:39,930 --> 00:25:37,930 the lines that are very close so we need 613 00:25:42,360 --> 00:25:39,940 to know precisely where each one is in 614 00:25:45,260 --> 00:25:42,370 relation to the earth now the thing it 615 00:25:48,060 --> 00:25:45,270 is very very novel and actually 616 00:25:51,090 --> 00:25:48,070 interesting about MMS is GPS system is 617 00:25:53,490 --> 00:25:51,100 the GPS constellation is far below us 618 00:25:55,860 --> 00:25:53,500 you know we are much higher than that 619 00:25:57,480 --> 00:25:55,870 constellation of GPS satellites and so 620 00:26:00,360 --> 00:25:57,490 our system is able to actually pick up 621 00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:00,370 very very weak signals from the side 622 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:00,850 lobes 623 00:26:05,490 --> 00:26:03,730 you know from of those GPS 624 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:05,500 satellites and from that it can 625 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:07,930 triangulate and determine where each of 626 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:10,210 our MMS satellites is it also gets very 627 00:26:14,850 --> 00:26:12,730 precise timing of when we're there and 628 00:26:17,970 --> 00:26:14,860 then we that is continually we send that 629 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:17,980 to the ground we use that end to to 630 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:19,930 design and plan the maneuvers that 631 00:26:23,910 --> 00:26:21,610 actually adjust the formation to 632 00:26:25,890 --> 00:26:23,920 maintain not too far apart not too close 633 00:26:28,650 --> 00:26:25,900 together and the right shape and 634 00:26:30,360 --> 00:26:28,660 instantly as we do that we get feedback 635 00:26:31,980 --> 00:26:30,370 from the science team it's it's not 636 00:26:33,210 --> 00:26:31,990 something we've known in advance some of 637 00:26:35,700 --> 00:26:33,220 the interesting things about the mission 638 00:26:39,210 --> 00:26:35,710 is will be fine-tuning that that 639 00:26:40,530 --> 00:26:39,220 separation in order to optimize as we 640 00:26:41,850 --> 00:26:40,540 see the data they'll be looking at this 641 00:26:43,500 --> 00:26:41,860 data real-time throughout the mission 642 00:26:46,190 --> 00:26:43,510 and we'll be tuning that that 643 00:26:48,570 --> 00:26:46,200 laboratories to collect the data 644 00:26:50,310 --> 00:26:48,580 one more Karen and then we'll go to the 645 00:26:53,130 --> 00:26:50,320 phone lines alright another question 646 00:26:55,740 --> 00:26:53,140 from at galaxy galius the question is 647 00:26:57,420 --> 00:26:55,750 what to expect to be the lifespan of MMS 648 00:26:59,340 --> 00:26:57,430 and do we think that the sun's radiation 649 00:27:04,650 --> 00:26:59,350 could have an effect either on the 650 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:04,660 mission or on the data the MMS mission 651 00:27:10,050 --> 00:27:07,810 is actually nominally planned for two 652 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:10,060 years of science gathering it's preceded 653 00:27:15,930 --> 00:27:13,450 by six months as as dr. Burch described 654 00:27:18,120 --> 00:27:15,940 as we wait for our orbit actually to get 655 00:27:20,070 --> 00:27:18,130 around into that region of interest in 656 00:27:21,450 --> 00:27:20,080 the magnetopause in front well we'll 657 00:27:24,300 --> 00:27:21,460 swing through that may need to pause 658 00:27:26,910 --> 00:27:24,310 twice and then we will double our orbit 659 00:27:28,620 --> 00:27:26,920 size our apogee our farthest point and 660 00:27:30,150 --> 00:27:28,630 we'll swing through the tail and that's 661 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:30,160 the second year so but this is 662 00:27:36,300 --> 00:27:33,210 essentially a two-year science campaign 663 00:27:38,850 --> 00:27:36,310 we carry fuel so if if it makes sense 664 00:27:40,230 --> 00:27:38,860 and there's and and still something to 665 00:27:43,350 --> 00:27:40,240 be done we could potentially do some 666 00:27:45,090 --> 00:27:43,360 more work afterwards if NASA decides 667 00:27:47,190 --> 00:27:45,100 that's warranted so we won't run out of 668 00:27:51,030 --> 00:27:47,200 feel quite that soon in terms of the 669 00:27:52,980 --> 00:27:51,040 radiation it the although magnetic 670 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:52,990 reconnection sounds very explosive and 671 00:27:56,760 --> 00:27:54,610 it is from the standpoint of the 672 00:27:59,250 --> 00:27:56,770 electronics and such we have built on 673 00:28:01,590 --> 00:27:59,260 the spacecraft these orbits this region 674 00:28:03,990 --> 00:28:01,600 in space is fairly typical of what we 675 00:28:06,360 --> 00:28:04,000 see for satellites it's in fact some of 676 00:28:08,370 --> 00:28:06,370 the time it's less severe than what 677 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:08,380 geostationary satellites see as we pass 678 00:28:13,380 --> 00:28:10,450 in and out of the radiation belts so in 679 00:28:15,300 --> 00:28:13,390 terms of radiation this is a typical 680 00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:15,310 kind of environment for us to build 681 00:28:19,330 --> 00:28:17,170 science satellites in 682 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:19,340 okay if you've just joined us again 683 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:21,050 we're here NASA headquarters learning 684 00:28:26,140 --> 00:28:24,050 about the upcoming NASA mission to study 685 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:26,150 magnetic reconnection around Earth and 686 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:28,490 it is the first I believe dedicated 687 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:32,210 project to do this very extraordinary 688 00:28:36,190 --> 00:28:33,290 science so we're going to go to the 689 00:28:38,650 --> 00:28:36,200 phone lines on to our media and I 690 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:38,660 believe we have Ken Kramer from Universe 691 00:28:44,980 --> 00:28:42,410 Today Kim hi thanks for taking my 692 00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:44,990 question I wonder if you could talk a 693 00:28:50,050 --> 00:28:48,650 little bit about studying would it be 694 00:28:52,420 --> 00:28:50,060 worth studying the magnetosphere 695 00:28:55,540 --> 00:28:52,430 anywhere else in the solar system and 696 00:28:57,460 --> 00:28:55,550 any other planets and and how it does do 697 00:29:01,380 --> 00:28:57,470 the other planets compared to the earth 698 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:01,390 thanks question in fact we are studying 699 00:29:07,330 --> 00:29:03,530 reconnection and other planets Cassini 700 00:29:09,700 --> 00:29:07,340 at Saturn for example and then Jupiter 701 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:09,710 also reconnection is going on but the 702 00:29:13,990 --> 00:29:11,570 mode is different because these planets 703 00:29:16,030 --> 00:29:14,000 are dominated more by rotation of the 704 00:29:17,860 --> 00:29:16,040 planet and so the solar wind has an 705 00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:17,870 influence and reconnection as an 706 00:29:21,970 --> 00:29:19,810 influence but is not as strong as it is 707 00:29:24,430 --> 00:29:21,980 at the earth and so it's a different 708 00:29:26,950 --> 00:29:24,440 type of circulation that is set up in 709 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:26,960 these planets but people like myself we 710 00:29:33,670 --> 00:29:28,730 work on reconnection we do that as 711 00:29:35,830 --> 00:29:33,680 Saturn as well there are other missions 712 00:29:37,900 --> 00:29:35,840 have observed and we've learned about 713 00:29:40,180 --> 00:29:37,910 REM and recondition other regions of our 714 00:29:42,460 --> 00:29:40,190 magnetosphere although we haven't flown 715 00:29:42,940 --> 00:29:42,470 into it they asked about other regions 716 00:29:45,310 --> 00:29:42,950 on the earth 717 00:29:47,170 --> 00:29:45,320 oh yeah well here we have two missions 718 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:47,180 that have been up a while seven to ten 719 00:29:51,490 --> 00:29:49,130 years is the European cluster mission 720 00:29:54,130 --> 00:29:51,500 and the NASA Themis mission and those 721 00:29:55,420 --> 00:29:54,140 are still operating and they be 722 00:29:57,370 --> 00:29:55,430 operating in different parts of the 723 00:29:59,080 --> 00:29:57,380 magnetosphere and this is where we'd be 724 00:30:00,970 --> 00:29:59,090 able to do a global study of what 725 00:30:02,740 --> 00:30:00,980 reconnection causes as Paul mentioned 726 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:02,750 reconnection happens in this small 727 00:30:06,490 --> 00:30:04,130 region but it affects the entire 728 00:30:09,010 --> 00:30:06,500 magnetosphere and by comparing our data 729 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:09,020 to the thymus and cluster data we'll 730 00:30:13,090 --> 00:30:11,330 have a very powerful thing that we call 731 00:30:14,830 --> 00:30:13,100 the Heliospheric Observatory or this 732 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:14,840 will be a major part of the Heliospheric 733 00:30:21,010 --> 00:30:18,170 Observatory it's Paul cassock just to 734 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:21,020 add also the messenger satellite mission 735 00:30:26,260 --> 00:30:23,090 is measuring reconnection at mercury and 736 00:30:28,960 --> 00:30:26,270 mercury is a lot like Earth except it's 737 00:30:30,370 --> 00:30:28,970 smaller and so everything that we just 738 00:30:34,629 --> 00:30:30,380 described happens 739 00:30:37,659 --> 00:30:34,639 about 10 times faster okay yeah there's 740 00:30:39,039 --> 00:30:37,669 a lot of buzz in the associate media 741 00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:39,049 atmosphere we're gonna go back to Karen 742 00:30:45,129 --> 00:30:41,450 Fox again if you have any questions send 743 00:30:47,889 --> 00:30:45,139 in to hashtag a snåsa and I can't Fox 744 00:30:50,590 --> 00:30:47,899 what do we got going on coming in now we 745 00:30:53,470 --> 00:30:50,600 have a question from @m monitored who 746 00:30:55,749 --> 00:30:53,480 wants to know how does the spinning of 747 00:30:57,490 --> 00:30:55,759 the spacecraft interact with the sensors 748 00:31:00,779 --> 00:30:57,500 how do you control the data given that 749 00:31:06,190 --> 00:31:03,879 yes thank you for that question most of 750 00:31:08,289 --> 00:31:06,200 our measurements are independent of the 751 00:31:10,269 --> 00:31:08,299 spin and this is how we make these very 752 00:31:11,950 --> 00:31:10,279 fast particle measurements because we're 753 00:31:13,619 --> 00:31:11,960 not tied to the spin of the spacecraft 754 00:31:16,180 --> 00:31:13,629 like just about all previous 755 00:31:18,009 --> 00:31:16,190 magnetospheric missions have been so we 756 00:31:19,570 --> 00:31:18,019 have a lot of instruments and we don't 757 00:31:21,580 --> 00:31:19,580 care what the spin rate is for our 758 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:21,590 particles a low-energy particles some of 759 00:31:26,379 --> 00:31:23,690 our measurements are do rely on the spin 760 00:31:29,049 --> 00:31:26,389 these long wire booms that Craig talked 761 00:31:30,879 --> 00:31:29,059 about need to spin for a certificate 762 00:31:32,799 --> 00:31:30,889 force because otherwise these wires 763 00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:32,809 wouldn't be stretched out like that so 764 00:31:38,169 --> 00:31:35,450 we need to the booms to deploy our 765 00:31:40,659 --> 00:31:38,179 antennas the spin of the spacecraft it's 766 00:31:46,690 --> 00:31:40,669 a pretty slow spin rate compared to most 767 00:31:48,690 --> 00:31:46,700 magnetospheric missions I don't know if 768 00:31:52,090 --> 00:31:48,700 that answered the question completely I 769 00:31:54,549 --> 00:31:52,100 think we're back to me we have some fun 770 00:31:55,990 --> 00:31:54,559 questions that are going a couple other 771 00:31:58,720 --> 00:31:56,000 directions but I'm going to throw them 772 00:32:03,249 --> 00:31:58,730 out to you all one of the questions from 773 00:32:06,090 --> 00:32:03,259 the raisin to 222 is is there a chance 774 00:32:08,799 --> 00:32:06,100 of the magnetosphere around Earth is 775 00:32:18,100 --> 00:32:08,809 connected to them a magnetosphere around 776 00:32:24,879 --> 00:32:21,759 I would say that the they're not 777 00:32:27,999 --> 00:32:24,889 connected in terms of being touching 778 00:32:30,009 --> 00:32:28,009 each other I think where we hope the 779 00:32:33,610 --> 00:32:30,019 connection is is that if we understand 780 00:32:36,249 --> 00:32:33,620 the physics of reconnection here near 781 00:32:39,549 --> 00:32:36,259 Earth and the magnetosphere then we can 782 00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:39,559 apply what we've learned here in the 783 00:32:43,330 --> 00:32:41,090 magnetosphere to other places that 784 00:32:44,380 --> 00:32:43,340 reconnection happens such as in solar 785 00:32:48,490 --> 00:32:44,390 flares like we 786 00:32:52,260 --> 00:32:48,500 the movies of other planets and even in 787 00:32:54,310 --> 00:32:52,270 you know black holes and neutron stars 788 00:32:55,210 --> 00:32:54,320 we'll take one more from social media 789 00:32:58,780 --> 00:32:55,220 great Karen 790 00:33:00,760 --> 00:32:58,790 great at bill Waldman 8:08 asks whether 791 00:33:02,020 --> 00:33:00,770 this mission is going to provide a model 792 00:33:08,590 --> 00:33:02,030 that can be used to predict space 793 00:33:11,049 --> 00:33:08,600 weather events in the future this is a 794 00:33:12,669 --> 00:33:11,059 research mission and what we learned 795 00:33:15,580 --> 00:33:12,679 from it will be an important part of 796 00:33:17,740 --> 00:33:15,590 models that will eventually be able to 797 00:33:19,510 --> 00:33:17,750 predict space weather we won't be 798 00:33:22,210 --> 00:33:19,520 predicting it from this mission but we 799 00:33:24,520 --> 00:33:22,220 will be coming up with theories and 800 00:33:26,950 --> 00:33:24,530 we'll be proving theories that then can 801 00:33:29,020 --> 00:33:26,960 be used in the end models to make them 802 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:29,030 better in fact I think it's crucial that 803 00:33:32,710 --> 00:33:30,290 we understand magnetic reconnection 804 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:32,720 because as I said earlier a reconnection 805 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:34,450 is the engine that drives space weather 806 00:33:37,690 --> 00:33:36,290 so if you're going to predict what's 807 00:33:41,860 --> 00:33:37,700 happening you got to understand the 808 00:33:43,419 --> 00:33:41,870 engine not a comment to follow that up 809 00:33:48,130 --> 00:33:43,429 just more generalized people think about 810 00:33:50,650 --> 00:33:48,140 this is you know centuries ago as we as 811 00:33:51,909 --> 00:33:50,660 we became a seafaring species it became 812 00:33:53,230 --> 00:33:51,919 increasingly important that we figured 813 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:53,240 out how to understand it predict the 814 00:33:55,720 --> 00:33:53,690 weather 815 00:33:58,780 --> 00:33:55,730 that's crucial you're gonna navigate the 816 00:34:00,190 --> 00:33:58,790 globe and you can see as a species as 817 00:34:02,289 --> 00:34:00,200 we're gonna move out into our own solar 818 00:34:04,960 --> 00:34:02,299 system indeed that we need to understand 819 00:34:09,639 --> 00:34:04,970 what drives all of that weather is 820 00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:09,649 equally important okay what we're gonna 821 00:34:15,940 --> 00:34:11,330 do here we're gonna go ahead and close 822 00:34:17,020 --> 00:34:15,950 out and before I do any final comments 823 00:34:21,419 --> 00:34:17,030 here I want to turn it over to Jeff 824 00:34:24,250 --> 00:34:21,429 Newmark for some final comments thanks 825 00:34:26,980 --> 00:34:24,260 well I hope we gave you a little bit of 826 00:34:30,639 --> 00:34:26,990 a taste of how exciting MMS is going to 827 00:34:34,300 --> 00:34:30,649 be the complexity of developing this 828 00:34:38,230 --> 00:34:34,310 mission is just really unprecedented for 829 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:38,240 spacecraft 100 instruments each 100 830 00:34:43,720 --> 00:34:40,570 times better than we've done before 831 00:34:45,820 --> 00:34:43,730 really enabling us to revolutionize our 832 00:34:48,369 --> 00:34:45,830 understanding looking at this area that 833 00:34:49,629 --> 00:34:48,379 Jim shows you that of magnetic 834 00:34:52,540 --> 00:34:49,639 reconnection that we've never been able 835 00:34:55,119 --> 00:34:52,550 to sample before using our magnetosphere 836 00:34:58,210 --> 00:34:55,129 as a natural environment Ori to study 837 00:35:00,640 --> 00:34:58,220 this we're just we're just very excited 838 00:35:03,700 --> 00:35:00,650 and I hope you continue watching us on 839 00:35:05,500 --> 00:35:03,710 this journey and I want to thank our 840 00:35:07,839 --> 00:35:05,510 panelists I want to thank the folks 841 00:35:10,240 --> 00:35:07,849 joining us on the phones here and 842 00:35:14,349 --> 00:35:10,250 particularly social media join the 843 00:35:16,060 --> 00:35:14,359 conversation on Twitter Facebook and go 844 00:35:17,170 --> 00:35:16,070 to the website you'll be seeing a lot of 845 00:35:18,550 --> 00:35:17,180 updates and a lot of additional 846 00:35:24,420 --> 00:35:18,560 information as we get closer to launch 847 00:35:27,820 --> 00:35:24,430 down in Florida at WWDC Golf / MMS 848 00:35:29,890 --> 00:35:27,830 magnetic reconnection I like to call 849 00:35:32,050 --> 00:35:29,900 this class 101 the advanced classes will 850 00:35:33,849 --> 00:35:32,060 be down in Florida 851 00:35:36,190 --> 00:35:33,859 it's phenomenal science with a 852 00:35:37,260 --> 00:35:36,200 phenomenal team we will see you down in 853 00:35:39,790 --> 00:35:37,270 Florida 854 00:35:41,680 --> 00:35:39,800 thanks to contractor team and the in the 855 00:35:43,540 --> 00:35:41,690 launch team we're ready we'll see you in 856 00:35:50,710 --> 00:35:43,550 Florida March 12th thanks for joining us