NASA Restores Contact with TRACERS Satellite After Initial Issues

NASA has successfully reestablished communication with one of its two Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites, known as TRACERS. The spacecraft, designated SV1, encountered operational difficulties shortly after its launch on July 23, 2023. In a statement released on September 11, 2023, NASA confirmed that controllers had regained contact with SV1, which had suffered a power subsystem malfunction two days post-launch.

While SV2, the second satellite in the pair, completed its post-launch commissioning without incident, SV1’s issues hindered its functionality. Initial assessments indicated that SV1 only operated effectively when its solar arrays were exposed to sunlight. NASA’s mission team had planned to attempt to restore communications later in August, aligning the satellite’s solar arrays with the sun for optimal performance.

Challenges and Recovery Efforts

The September update marked NASA’s first communication about SV1 since August 5, when the agency reported that the satellite had failed to transmit a beacon signal after launch. This absence of communication complicated efforts to locate and command the spacecraft. NASA stated that mission partners and the satellite’s manufacturer, NovaWurks, confirmed SV1’s location and were actively working to restore its communication capabilities.

In its latest statement, NASA indicated that the mission team is focused on recovering the spacecraft and reinstating its scientific operations. The TRACERS mission is designed to utilize both satellites to study the interaction between solar wind and Earth’s magnetic field, passing through the same region of space with a two-minute interval.

While the performance of SV1 remains uncertain, the mission’s objectives may be impacted if only one satellite, constructed by Millennium Space Systems, is operational.

Additional Payloads and Future Prospects

The Falcon 9 rocket that launched TRACERS also deployed several other payloads, including the Bard satellite, which houses NASA’s Polylingual Experimental Terminal (PExT). This innovative system is designed to test communications across various satellite networks, including NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) system and commercial services.

As of September 9, NASA reported that the commissioning of Bard was completed and that PExT commissioning was in progress, with expectations to conclude by the end of September. This development highlights NASA’s ongoing commitment to advancing satellite communication technologies, even as challenges arise with the TRACERS mission.

Overall, as NASA navigates the complexities of satellite operations, the successful recovery of SV1’s communication may pave the way for valuable scientific insights into solar and terrestrial interactions. The agency continues to monitor the situation closely and aims to provide updates as the mission progresses.