The Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites (TRACERS) Science Operations Center

Area of Science:

• Space Physics
• Satellite Operations
• Plasma Physics

Background:

• The TRACERS mission aims to study magnetic reconnection and cusp dynamics.
• Effective data management is crucial for achieving mission objectives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the functions of the TRACERS Science Operations Center (SOC).
• To detail the SOC's role in data acquisition, processing, and distribution for the TRACERS mission.

Main Methods:

• Facilitating science instrument planning and operations via a weekly commanding cycle.
• Generating Level 0 and Level 1 data products.
• Creating Spacecraft Planet Instrument Camera-matrix Events (SPICE) kernels for ephemerides and coordinate transforms.
• Ensuring consistency of Level 2+ products from instrument teams.
• Distributing data via a public web portal and archiving with the Space Physics Data Facility (SPDF).

Main Results:

• The SOC successfully manages the TRACERS data lifecycle.
• TRACERS data are made accessible to the scientific community during the mission and archived for the future.

Conclusions:

• The SOC's comprehensive data management strategy is essential for the success of the TRACERS mission.
• Effective data operations ensure the scientific goals of TRACERS are met and data are preserved.