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Scientific Assessment of NASA's SMEX-MIDEX Space Physics Mission Selections (1997) / Chapter Skim
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3 The Newest Space Physics Explorers: TRACE and IMAGE
Pages 8-11

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From page 8...
... REPORT MENU NOTICE TRACE MEMBERSHIP FOREWORD EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The TRACE Small Explorer was selected in September 1993 and is CHAPTER 1 scheduled for launch in the fourth quarter of 1997 on a Pegasus-XL. This 224-kg CHAPTER 2 spacecraft, destined for a 600- to 700-km dawn-to-dusk, Sun-synchronous orbit, CHAPTER 3 is essentially dedicated to a single high-resolution telescope for continuously CHAPTER 4 observing the Sun at ultraviolet (UV)
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From page 9...
... Because the spectral features measured by TRACE span the major parts of the transition region between the chromosphere and corona, the direction in which energy releases move can be determined from the time lags. The science capability of TRACE will also be greatly enhanced by the availability of simultaneous SOHO data, including SOHO's global perspectives.
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From page 10...
... altitude polar orbit that will permit the imagers to view the magnetosphere globally and thereby reconstruct three-dimensional images. The IMAGE mission has a clear scientific focus highly relevant to the third research topic identified in the NRC Science Strategy report, magnetospheric ionospheric physics.
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From page 11...
... Overall, IMAGE expects to provide a low-cost, fast-track mission for global imaging, one of the highest-priority science goals of the NRC Science Strategy report. At the same time, it raises the broader issue of how much "smaller, cheaper, faster" methods can replace a more comprehensive approach to the science (e.g., with a solar-terrestrial probe mission)
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Key Terms

  • nrc science
  • strategy report
  • science strategy
  • image mission
  • trace mission

  • solar physics
  • solar wind
  • spectral features
  • highly relevant
  • space strategy

  • trace science
  • nrc space
  • civil service
  • little development
  • image version

  • imi science
  • magnetospheric plasmas
  • wind plasma
  • suborbital observations
  • menu notice

  • mission required
  • science return
  • provide key
  • density gradients
  • research topic

  • sharp density
  • gsfc smex
  • global perspectives
  • program routinely
  • longitudinal magnetic


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