NASA’s MMS spacecraft bounces back from safe mode event; resumes science operations

On Friday, April 21, one of the four spacecraft that make up NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission suffered an unexpected processor reset, causing it to enter into safe mode.

When a spacecraft enters safe mode, it shuts down all non-essential systems and only essential functions are active. The team quickly went to work to diagnose and resolve the issue. The affected spacecraft was brought back online on Monday and has since resumed normal science operations, the agency said on Tuesday.

"It’s the fourth processor reset of the mission, so it happens. The team worked over the weekend to get it back up," said Jim Clapsadle, MMS Mission Director. 

This past Friday, one of NASA’s four Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft experienced an unexpected processor reset and went into safe mode. By this morning, the spacecraft was back online and has resumed normal science operations. pic.twitter.com/kExNVtyWqj

— NASA Sun & Space (@NASASun) April 24, 2023

The MMS mission was launched in 2015 with the goal of understanding the complex processes of magnetic reconnection, a fundamental process that occurs throughout the universe.

The MMS spacecraft consists of four identical spacecraft flying in a pyramid-shape to measure magnetic field lines and charged particles in three dimensions. MMS operates in near-Earth space - the most easily accessible place to study natural magnetic reconnection