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NASA’s TRACERS mission twin satellites were launched on July 23, 2025, to study how solar activity causes magnetic reconnection in Earth’s atmosphere. After launch, a power subsystem anomaly had affected one of the satellites (Space Vehicle 1, SV1) on July 25, causing periodic communication loss. NASA said satellite 2 (Space Vehicle 2, SV2) is “healthy,” and transition is beginning to the instrument commissioning phase. The idea behind TRACERS was to develop a complete toolkit that would allow us, for the first time, to observe all of these complex solar wind connection processes at once. NASA engineers are actively working to recover SV1. Single vector views (SV2) spacecraft are completing a healthy checkout and readying themselves for their science mission.

Recovery Efforts for SV1 Satellite

According to NASA, controllers detected a problem with SV1’s power subsystem in late July that led to intermittent contacts and a loss of communication. Data suggest SV1 can only remain active when its solar panels receive sufficient sunlight. Because of the spacecraft’s current orientation, engineers plan to wait until later in August — when SV1’s panels will receive more sun — to reestablish contact and continue recovery steps.

Meanwhile, mission teams are reviewing onboard data to diagnose the issue and plan next steps. Any time contact is regained, the team will assess SV1’s status and check for impacts on the mission’s science goals. For now, no significant updates on SV1 are expected for several weeks.

SV2 Operational Status

The mission’s other satellite, SV2, is in good health and fully operational. Mission teams have been testing SV2’s onboard instruments and systems through a standard commissioning process. This checkout is proceeding as expected, with NASA anticipating that commissioning will finish by the end of August.

Once SV2 is fully checked out, it will begin coordinated science operations with its twin to study magnetic reconnection – the process that shapes how solar activity affects Earth’s magnetic environment. For now, SV2 continues its planned tests and will soon be ready to collect valuable science data as part of the TRACERS mission.

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NASA’s Orion Control Room Prepares for Artemis II Lunar Mission

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NASA is preparing for Artemis II, the first crewed mission to the Moon since Apollo, with a new control hub at Johnson Space Center. The Orion Mission Evaluation Room (MER) will support flight controllers by monitoring Orion’s systems in real time during the 10-day mission. Staffed 24/7, the MER will compare telemetry with expected performance, troubleshoot issues, …

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James Webb Space Telescope Spots Planet-Building Dust in the Butterfly Nebula

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The James Webb Space Telescope has unveiled stunning new details of the Butterfly Nebula, a planetary nebula 3,400 light-years away. Using its infrared vision, Webb detected crystalline silicates, large dust grains, and carbon-rich PAH molecules within the nebula’s dusty torus. These discoveries reveal how dying stars recycle minerals and organic compounds, spreadin…

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China Unveils ‘Darwin Monkey’, World’s Largest Neuromorphic Supercomputer

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China has unveiled Darwin Monkey, the world’s largest neuromorphic supercomputer. With over 2 billion artificial neurons and 100 billion synapses, it mirrors a macaque brain’s complexity. Designed by Zhejiang University and Zhejiang Lab, the system could accelerate neuroscience simulations and advance artificial general intelligence while consuming only 2,000 watt…

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