The Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) mission is studying the influences of the sun and humans on the least explored and understood region of Earth's atmosphere: the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere/ Ionosphere (MLTI). The MLTI region is where the sun's energy enters Earth's environment for the first time. The TIMED spacecraft focuses on a portion of the MLTI region located at an altitude of approximately 40-110 miles (60-180 kilometers).