The NASA Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) Mission investigates magnetic reconnection, a fundamental process in space plasma. Comprising four identical...
The MMS Mission is a NASA space mission designed to study magnetic reconnection, a universal process that rapidly converts magnetic energy into particle kinetic energy, especially within Earth's magnetosphere.
Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental process in space plasmas where magnetic field lines break and rapidly reconfigure, releasing vast amounts of energy. It is responsible for explosive events like solar flares and geomagnetic storms.
MMS uses four identical spacecraft flying in a precise tetrahedron formation. These spacecraft are equipped with advanced, high-resolution instruments to measure electric and magnetic fields, and particle populations, allowing unprecedented observation of reconnection regions.
Understanding magnetic reconnection is crucial for predicting and mitigating space weather events that can disrupt satellites, power grids, and communication systems on Earth, and for comprehending various astrophysical phenomena.