NASA's devices for studying the reconnection of magnetic lines formed a pyramid in space

Back in March, four spacecraft were launched into space, which are designed to study the magnetic fields of the Earth and the Sun. Then these devices (the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) program of NASA ) set off into outer space aboard an Atlas unmanned rocket. The launch was successful , and the satellites separated from the rocket at the specified time.

According to the plan, the satellites were to reach an extended orbit of tens of thousands of kilometers in the magnetosphere. All of them should be close by, at a distance of 10 to 400 kilometers from each other, forming a structural pyramid. Scientists have chosen this form for the purpose of optimally studying the reconnection of magnetic lines on a small scale — something like this we observe during geomagnetic storms, solar flares, and the northern lights. Now the satellites have formed this pyramid . In the entire history of space research, this is the first time that a structure of such complexity has been created from spacecraft.

Each of the stations is quite large - with a diameter of 3.35 meters and a height of 1.21 meters. Weight - almost one and a half tons. The reconnection of magnetic lines has already been studied, but this project will allow for much more thorough work.
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Magnetic reconnection (reconnection of magnetic lines) is a process where the magnetic field lines from different magnetic domains come together and are quickly rebuilt. With such a magnetic reconnection of lines of force, the energy of the magnetic field heats the nearest regions of the solar atmosphere and accelerates the charged particles to a high speed.

MMS (Magnetospheric Multiscale mission) is the fourth mission in a row, which is part of a larger project, the NASA Solar Terrestrial Probes Program. The purpose of this program is to study the fundamental physical processes in outer space, in the Earth-Moon region, on other planets, and some other regions.