Millennium Space Systems, a Boeing subsidiary, has delivered two spacecraft for NASA's Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites (TRACERS) mission to Vandenberg Space Force Base. The milestone sets the stage for final integration and launch preparations ahead of the scheduled summer 2025 window.
"This achievement highlights the dedication of our team and collab by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 17, 2025
Millennium Space Systems, a Boeing subsidiary, has delivered two spacecraft for NASA's Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites (TRACERS) mission to Vandenberg Space Force Base. The milestone sets the stage for final integration and launch preparations ahead of the scheduled summer 2025 window.
"This achievement highlights the dedication of our team and collaborators at the University of Iowa, Southwest Research Institute, and NASA," said Richard Prasad, TRACERS program manager at Millennium. "Advancing to final integration reflects confidence in both the space vehicles and our Mission Operations Center. We're thrilled to move closer to TRACERS going on-orbit."
The TRACERS mission will explore how the solar wind interacts with Earth's magnetic field, specifically by examining activity within the polar cusp regions. After undergoing comprehensive environmental, mechanical, and system-level testing, the spacecraft are now ready to operate in Earth's magnetic polar zones. The findings are expected to improve models of space weather and its effects on satellites, communication systems, and power infrastructure.
Tony Gingiss, CEO of Millennium Space Systems, emphasized the broader implications of the program: "Delivering TRACERS demonstrates how our experience with national security platforms can also enable advanced scientific missions. Providing high-performance spacecraft contributes to space weather forecasting while reinforcing space resilience and national defense capabilities."
The official launch timeframe remains dependent on mission readiness and coordination factors but is currently slated to begin in the summer of 2025.
Related Links
Millennium Space Systems
Solar Science News at SpaceDaily