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NASA's Magnetospheric mission for highest altitude fix of GPS signal becomes a Guinness World Record

MMS, Earlier This Year (2016), Succeeded In Closest Flying Separation Of A Multi-spacecraft Formation. The Distance Between The Four Satellites Was Only 7 Kilometres. According To NASA, When MMS Is Not Breaking Records, It Conducts Ground-breaking Science.

News Nation Bureau | Edited By : Navnidhi Chugh | Updated on: 07 Nov 2016, 12:23:40 PM
NASA's Magnetospheric mission now holds the Guinness World Record for highest altitude fix of a GPS signal

New Delhi:

According to NASA, its Magnetospheric mission or MMS that is availing scientists with new insight into Earth magnetosphere, has now got marked in Guinness World Record. It has been recorded for its highest altitude fix of a GPS signal. The MMS satellites set the record at 70,006.4 kilometres above the surface, operating in a highly elliptical orbit around Earth, reported the US space agency. The four MMS spacecraft consolidate GPS measurements into their precise tracking systems. this requires very sensitive postion and orbit calculations that guide tight flying formations.

MMS, earlier this year (2016), succeeded in closest flying separation of a multi-spacecraft formation. the distance between the four satellites was only 7 kilometres. According to NASA, when MMS is not breaking records, it conducts ground-breaking science. 

The mission has four individual satellites. The satellites fly in pyramid pattern formation in order to map magnetic reconnection. The process magnetic reconnection occurs  as the sun and Earth’s magnetic fields interact. With the help of GPS tracking, the satellites maintain a tight formation and get high resolution three-dimensional observations.

In order to understand phenomena around the universe from auroras on Earth, to flares on the surface of the sun, and even to areas surrounding black holes, it is important ot understand the causes of magnetic reconnection.

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First Published : 06 Nov 2016, 02:49:00 PM

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