NASA has two new satellites called TRACERS, which have just given their first important information about how energy from the Sun enters Earth’s space. The TRACERS mission uses two satellites that fly over special areas near the tops and bottoms of Earth, called polar cusps. These areas let charged particles from the Sun move into the upper part of our atmosphere.

NASA sent these satellites to learn about something called magnetic reconnection. This happens when magnetic energy from the Sun meets Earth’s magnetic field. The meeting point collects energy until the magnetic lines break and join again, which quickly makes nearby particles move faster. NASA wanted to know if changes they see are because this boundary moves or changes over time.

At first, the satellites show that the location is more important. So, it seems the satellites are passing through different moving areas, not just seeing one place change with time. This is a big step in understanding how energy enters Earth’s space and could help make better space weather forecasts.