The AMPTE (Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorers) mission was designed to study the access of solar-wind ions to the magnetosphere, the convective-diffusive transport and energization of magnetospheric particles, and the interactions of plasmas in space.

The mission consisted of three spacecraft: the CCE; the IRM, which provided multiple ion releases in the solar wind, the magnetosheath, and the magnetotail, with in situ diagnostics of each; and the UKS, which uses thrusters to keep station near the IRM to provide two-point local measurements.

The PI for the U.S. AMPTE Program and for the CCE was S. M. Krimigis (now Richard McEntire of JHU/APL); each instrument was managed by a lead investigator.

For more details, see J. Dassoulas et al., IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Vol. GE-23, p. 182, 1985.