The TIMED spacecraft is operating nominally and is currently collecting data on one of the last frontiers in Earth's atmosphere.Visit the instrument Web sites to learn more about their explorations of Earth's atmosphere.
Exactly 20 years ago today, NASA’s TIMED mission launched from the California coast on a journey to unveil new secrets about the upper climes of Earth’s atmosphere. Developed in part by Johns Hopkins APL, the mission’s unrivaled 20-year dataset has provided crucial insights about space weather, Earth’s climate and the evolution of planetary atmospheres.
A new study suggests hunting for nontraditional signatures of potentially habitable worlds, which would be easier to detect with current resources in less time. These so-called atmospheric beacons of life - hydroxyl, molecular oxygen, and nitric oxide - are produced from reactive nitrogen and oxygen atoms through a cascade of chemical reactions. Data from NASA's Earth-studying TIMED mission was used to simulate how infrared observations of these beacons might appear. (November 2, 2017)
NASA's TIMED mission - short for Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics - yielded a batch of new discoveries to end its 15th year in orbit. From a more precise categorization of the upper atmosphere's response to solar storms, to pinpointing the signatures of a fundamental behavior of carbon dioxide, TIMED's unique position and instruments, along with its decade-plus data record, continue to give scientists an unparalleled look at Earth's upper atmosphere, our interface to space. Indeed, the very length of the data set has provided unprecedented opportunities to analyze near-Earth space. (January 4, 2017)
The NASA TIMED spacecraft, which studies the impact of solar- and human-induced disturbances on Earth's upper atmosphere, celebrated 5,000 days of continuous data collection on Aug. 15, 2015. During that time, the spacecraft completed more than 74,000 Earth orbits and accumulated more than 9 terabytes of data, served by the TIMED Mission Science Data Center located at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) and now archived at the Space Physics Data Facility at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. (September 17, 2015)
'Space bubbles' may have led to deadly battle in Afghanistan
On 4 March 2002, U.S. Army Rangers flew by helicopter on a rescue mission of a Navy SEALS team shot down by al-Qaida forces on the Afghan mountain Takur Ghar. While in flight, radio messages failed to reach them warning that their landing zone was learned to be held by al-Qaida forces. The ensuing 17-hour firefight cost seven lives. Subsequent research, based upon GUVI data, suggests that turbulent pockets of ionized gas may have caused a temporary communications blackouts in the region. (September 23, 2014) Read details at Science Magazine.
On Dec. 13 2012, APL's Elsayed Talaat, deputy project manager for NASA's TIMED (Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics) spacecraft, gave a lecture at the Robinson Nature Center in Howard County (Md.) called "TIMED: Exploring Earth's Atmosphere." The lecture covered what scientists are learning from space about the effects of both human and solar activity on Earth's environment. The science that TIMED is investigating has everyday consequences as variability in this region affects satellites, GPS technology and HF radio wave communication. The TIMED spacecraft, now in its second decade in orbit around Earth, has collected more data on the upper atmosphere than any other spacecraft. (March 6, 2013) Watch on APL's YouTube Channel.
Getting TIMED for Girl Power
TIMED engineer Dina Tady is a regular volunteer at APL's Girl Power event, an annual expo for middle and high school girls to give them the opportunity to meet and talk with women working in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. Dina talks with kids about what it was like to be a TIMED engineer, performs demonstrations and learning activities, and hands out TIMED materials each year as part of a collaborative effort encouraging girls to stay interested in STEM careers. (March 4 2013) Don't miss Girl Power 2013 – Sun, March 17
Learn more about APL's Girl Power (YouTube)
The SABER (Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry) instrument, orbiting on the TIMED (Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere, Energetics and Dynamics) satellite, can directly measure the impact of solar events on the Earth's upper atmosphere; it has weighed in on the huge flare that impacted Earth in March 2012. (March 23, 2012)
NASA-funded researchers say the solar storms of March 8-10 2012 dumped enough energy in Earth's upper atmosphere to power every residence in New York City for two years. The heat has since dissipated, but there's more to come as the solar cycle intensifies. The eruptions were studied using the SABER instrument onboard NASA's TIMED satellite. (March 22, 2012)
A recent flurry of eruptions on the sun did more than spark pretty auroras around the poles. NASA-funded researchers say the solar storms of March 8th through 10th dumped enough energy in Earth’s upper atmosphere to power every residence in New York City for two years. (March 22, 2012)
Nine years after beginning its unprecedented look at the gateway between Earth and space and collecting more data on the upper atmosphere than any other satellite, NASA's TIMED mission has been extended yet again to continue its mission to study the influences of the sun and humans on our upper atmosphere. (November 1, 2010)
Satellites, Rockets and More
TIMED was included in articles about the book Transit to Tomorrow: 50 Years of Space Research at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (which features TIMED) appearing in Space Daily (March 2, 2010) and JHU Gazette (March 1, 2010).
In celebration of Earth Day, more than 100 Maryland middle school students got a close-up look at NASA missions exploring the sun-Earth relationship when they visited the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) for “Space Academy: Sun-Earth Connections" on April 22.
Throughout its five years in operation, TIMED has served as a catalyst for a greater understanding of our thermosphere and ionosphere. In coordination with a network of space- and ground-based systems, TIMED has provided the first view of the mesosphere, ionosphere and thermosphere as a coupled system throughout a range of solar activity levels. View Media Advisory
How TIMED Flies (February 2007)
Atmospheric Mission Marks Five Years in Space
Since 1990, APL has built five Special Sensor Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager (SSUSI) instruments for the Air Force Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), which provides current weather data to service members worldwide.
Since its launch in 2001, the APL-built TIMED (Thermosphere,
Ionosphere, Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics) spacecraft has been exploring one of Earth's last atmospheric frontiers, collecting valuable data during various phases of the solar cycle. The TIMED community will now have the opportunity to further its studies of Earth's atmosphere when the mission begins an extended campaign in October with operations and data analysis continuing through 2010.
Two APL-built Instruments Observe Recent Total Solar Eclipse
APL space scientists got a first-hand look at what happens to Earth's atmosphere when the sun was abruptly “turned off” during the March 29, 2006, total solar eclipse.
TIMED Sees Unusual Light Show Mission Now in Third Year of Operations
Auroral lights are rarely seen in maryland, but northern skies as far south as Alabama glowed brightly with red and green hues Nov. 408, 2004, when the sun shot at least five coronal mass ejections toward Earth.
The TIMED spacecraft weathered some of the strongest solar storms on record with all systems operating nominally. Scientists are now analyzing data TIMED collected during one of the stormiest periods of solar activity on record.
During the 31st annual NASA Headquarters Honor Awards Ceremony on Nov. 3, the TIMED (Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics) program was presented with the Civil Service/Contractor Team Award. NASA presents this award to a team composed of both Headquarters civil servants and contractors for outstanding performance in support of Headquarters' mission.
NASA extended the TIMED mission for another three years of operations and data analysis beginning in January 2004, followed by an additional year of data analysis in 2007 to be conducted after orbital operations are completed.
During the past few months, our planet has been subjected to some of the largest geomagnetic storms on record, and the APL-built and -operated TIMED spacecraft has recorded the impact of these storms on our atmosphere.
For nearly two years, the APL-built TIMED (Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere, Energetics and Dynamics) spacecraft has made great strides in its exploration of one of Earth's last atmospheric frontiers during a time when the sun's activity has been near the peak of its 11-year cycle. As the initial 2- year orbital mission draws to a close this winter, the team is preparing to embark on an extended mission to study how declining solar activity affects a portion of the upper atmosphere that serves as the gateway between Earth's environment and space, where the sun's energy is first deposited into our environment.
TIMED Celebrates 1-Year Launch Anniversary at AGU
On Dec. 7, 2002, NASA's TIMED mission is celebrating its one-year launch anniversary by presenting scientific results in a special session at the fall 2002 American Geophysical Union conference in San Francisco, Calif., Dec. 6-10. TIMED — NASA's first Solar Terrestrial Probe — will also be featured in a multi-mission presentation, Dec. 9, focusing on the April 2002 solar storm events — the aeronomy community's first in-depth look at critical elements in the Sun-Earth chain.
The APL-built and -operated TIMED (Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere, Energetics and Dynamics) spacecraft recently observed our atmosphere's response to a series of strong solar storms, providing valuable insight into the physical processes that link the sun and Earth.
TIMED Watches April 2002 Solar Storms
The TIMED spacecraft recently observed our atmosphere's response to a series of strong solar storms, providing the critical link between the physical processes connecting the Sun and Earth.
The TIMED spacecraft was launched on December 7, 2001 at 7:07 a.m. PST (10:07 EST) out of Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., aboard a Delta II launch vehicle with the Jason-1 spacecraft. The second of the two spacecraft jettisoned from the rocket, TIMED reached its orbit 2 hours and 5 minutes after launch.
The spacecraft has begun its 2-year exploration of one of the last frontiers in Earth's upper atmosphere.
On Dec. 7, the TIMED spacecraft lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California — and capped an incredible month of activity for APL's Space Department. In addition to successful launch of TIMED, department staffers learned they would place an instrument on a Mars orbiter and develop the first spacecraft to visit Pluto.
"This is a big moment for TIMED. We're on our way," shouted a smiling David Grant, APL TIMED project manager, over the roaring engines of the C-17 military cargo plane taxiing down an Andrews Air Force Base runway on May 30. With cheers from an APL team standing on the tarmac, the colossal plane lifted off, transporting the TIMED spacecraft, its groundsupport equipment and key personnel to Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., in preparation for its upcoming launch this fall. TIMED Spacecraft Packed for Shipment(April 2001)
The first spacecraft designed to explore one of the last frontiers in Earth's atmosphere is packed and awaiting shipment to its launch site.
Nearly 100 Maryland middle schools students got a chance to explore a NASA mission designed to study one of the last frontiers in Earth's atmosphere during an educational program hosted by APL and sponsored by Comcast and Discovery Networks.
The first spacecraft to conduct a global study of a critical region of Earth's atmosphere is taking shape at APL. The TIMED (Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere, Energetics and Dynamics) spacecraft will study the influences of the sun and humans on the least explored and understood region of Earth's atmosphere – the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere/Ionosphere (MLTI).
Fabrication is underway of the Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere, Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) spacecraft, the first science mission in NASA's Solar Terrestrial Probes Program. The two-year mission will study the influences of the sun and humans on the Earth's mesosphere and lower thermosphere/ionosphere (approximately 40 – 110 miles above the Earth's surface), which is the least explored and understood region of our atmosphere.
'Space bubbles' may have led to deadly battle in Afghanistan
"TIMED: Exploring Earth's Atmosphere" presentation
Getting TIMED for Girl Power
Satellites, Rockets and More
Quiet Sun Means Cooling of Earth's Upper Atmosphere
Darn Better Coverage
SABER Reveals the Upper Atmosphere's "Breathing" Pattern, In Rhythm With the Sun
On Earth Day, Students Make a Sun-Earth Connection
TIMED Celebrates 5-Year Launch Anniversary
How TIMED Flies
Second SSUSI Instrument Flies on Defense Meteorological Satellite
TIMED Scientist Observes Climate Change Affecting Earth's Outermost Atmosphere
APL-Led TIMED Mission Extended for Second Time
Atmospheric Study Shows Similarities in Sun's Effects on Earth and Mars
NASA Lauds TIMED Mission Success
Wildfires on the Sun -- TIMED Records Impact of Record-setting Solar Flares
Global Study of Atmospheric Frontier Continues -- NASA's TIMED Mission Extended for Future Studies
TIMED Provides Critical Link in Sun-Earth Chain
TIMED Spacecraft Shipped for Vandenberg for Upcoming Launch
TIMED Spacecraft Packed for Shipment
Space Academy Brings Students to Laboratory - Middle Schoolers Get a Close-Up Look at the TIMED Spacecraft
Instrument Integration Begins on TIMED Spacecraft
APL Building TIMED Spacecraft
