Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) - SMART Mission

MMS Mission Science Definition - The Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS) is a NASA unmanned space mission to study the Earth's magnetosphere and in particular magnetic reconnection using four identical spacecraft flying in a tetrahedral formation. The mission will be a laboratory to study the microphysics of magnetic reconnection, energetic particle acceleration, and turbulence, processes which occur in many astrophysical types of plasma but can only be studied in situ in the solar system.

MMS- SMART Mission Science Definition – MMS-SMART mission will perform a definitive study of magnetic reconnection in space and will test critical hypotheses about reconnection derived from the latest theories and spacecraft measurements.

Primary Goals - Find out the kinetic processes that are responsible for collisionless magnetic reconnection and how reconnection is initiated. Occursion of reconnection in the magnetopause and in the magnetotail. More information of influences like what is it and where it occurs. The relationship between reconnection w/ time and the factors that affect it.

Secondary Goals – The role of inductive electric fields and wave-particle interactions in acceleration processes. Properties and processes those are associated with magnetospheric turbulence.

The basic design feature of the MMS - SMART mission include a tetrahedron structure of 4 identical satellites that allows for 3-demensional pictures to be taken that can also switch back to a linear format for different phases. This provides insight on how the solar wind interacts with Earth’s magnetosphere and the formations it creates as well as examining the causes and effects of this interaction while still having the ability to return to a hibernation state There will be two basic phases of this mission aw well as a third possible one. These are:
-Day side of the Magnetic Field
-Night side of the Magnetic Field
-Combined Tail Reconnection and Magnetopause Skimming Campaign

The main goal of the mission design is to minimize the change in velocity while still meeting the mission criteria. This was done by directing the route and orientation of the spacecraft to easily transition from each phase to the next. This will reduce the cost as well as the weight of the spacecraft by using less fuel.
Some revolutionary instruments were created in the process of this mission. One was the DES & DIS, which provided the spacecraft with a full view of space by using 4 fan-like viewers. This surpassed the expectations of scientists by its abilities. Other instruments were simply adapted and upgraded from the CLUSTER Mission that was the predecessor to the MMS.