University of Iowa space physicist Craig Kletzing’s life was cut short before he could complete his most ambitious NASA mission. The professor’s colleagues stepped in to bring TRACERS to the launch pad.

The launch of TRACERS—scheduled for May 11 at the earliest—will provide scientists with new insights about space weather and help them better forecast potentially catastrophic solar storms. It’s also a testament to the perseverance of Kletzing’s team, which ensured his vision became reality.

“As Craig got sick, there was an enormous groundswell from all the people he knew, all the people working on his project; we had to make Craig’s mission a success,” said UI associate professor David Miles, who succeeded Kletzing as principal investigator, during a symposium honoring his late colleague last year in Iowa City. “We had to carry it forward, we had to deliver it, and we had to see it on orbit. One of the things you can recognize about the impact Craig left was how many people rose to the occasion to make his last mission a success.”

Read the complete article from the Spring 2025 issue of the Iowa Magazine here.