Developed under NASAs Global Geospace Science mission this prime focus is to understand the relationship between the solar plasma emitted by the sun and how it reacts with the Earths magnetic poles,magnetosphere and ionosphere. The orbit is to 51,200 km above the north pole and 5100km above the south pole. The spacecraft was built by Lockheed Martin. A NASA funded satellite which will explore the birth and evolution of the universe to be launched in 2001. Lockheed Martin will provide the spacecraft and system level integration and testing with Ball Aerospace designing and developing the cryogenic telescope assembly.
Primary purpose is to study the interaction of solar particles and the creation of the aurora.
The flight path is a highly elliptical 350KmX4200Km at an inclination of 66 degrees. Launch is to be on a Pegasus XL vechicle from Vandenbergs Western Test Range.