NASA's MMS breaks World Record

NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale mission (MMS) has set the Guinness World Record for highest altitude fix of a GPS signal – at 70,000 kilometres above the surface of the Earth

The ULA Atlas V rocket with NASA’s MMS spacecraft. Pic/AFP

Washington: NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale mission (MMS) has set the Guinness World Record for highest altitude fix of a GPS signal – at 70,000 kilometres above the surface of the Earth.

Operating in a highly elliptical orbit around Earth, the four MMS spacecraft incorporate GPS measurements into their precise tracking systems, which require extremely sensitive position and orbit calculations to guide tight flying formations. Next year, it will enter Phase 2 of the mission and the satellites will be sent in to even larger orbits.

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