Orbital space ageing tests offered for space age materials

ISS - International Space Station logo.

June 4, 2020

Exposure to space can be bad for the health of many materials. ESA and French space agency CNES are offering European researchers the chance to study the harmful effects of space directly, by flying material samples on Bartolomeo, Europe’s new ‘front porch’ aboard the International Space Station.

Named after the younger brother of Christopher Columbus, Bartolomeo is a commercial platform now mounted onto the exterior of the International Space Station’s Columbus module.

Bartolomeo

A new joint CNES/ESA Announcement of Opportunity invites European material scientists, experimenters and engineers to test materials for space applications directly in the low-Earth orbit environment through use of Bartolomeo’s ‘Euro Material Ageing’ facility.

To get a better understanding about how material ages beyond Earth’s atmosphere, up to 45 samples are set to spend a minimum of six months exposed to the harsh space environment. Clamped between two aluminium plates, 20 mm of their exposed surface will cope with radiation, vacuum, temperature extremes and even space debris.

This pilot project is targeting new or inexperienced players in the space business, with a focus on small-medium enterprises, academia or national institutes. ESA will cover the cost of flight, sample integration and pre- and post-flight sample analysis.

Material challenges of nothingness

Space is an environment like nothing on Earth. Since the early years of the space age it has been clear that prolonged exposure to the vacuum of space results in material degradation – most notably in the case of plastics, but no substance is entirely immune.

Although ESA has plenty of experience in exposing biology samples to space, “this is the first time ESA will display inorganic materials on a platform outside the International Space Station,” explains ESA team leader for research Jennifer Ngo-Ahn.

Euro Material Ageing facility

The physical and chemical changes triggered by space exposure include discoloration, cracking and embrittlement, driven by particle and UV radiation exposure. Persistent exposure to nothingness leads to ‘outgassing’ – the gradual boiling away of chemicals and solvents embedded within materials, which then risks contamination of sensitive satellite surfaces, such as instrument lenses.

Materials sitting in the solar wind can build up a static charge which in the worst case can lead to electro-static discharge – a form of ‘space lightning’ implicated in the past loss of satellite functionality, even entire missions.

Space radiation affects satellites

And the frequent passing from sunlight to shadow experienced in low-Earth orbit causes extreme temperature shifts known as ‘thermal cycling’. Ongoing sudden shifts in temperature from up to 150 degrees C in sunlight down to -150 degrees C in the shade may cause cracking, misalignment, even buckling.

Additionally, in the low-Earth orbit of the International Space Station, materials are exposed to a variety of oxygen normally encountered only in space – and known to eat away at satellite surfaces. This highly reactive ‘atomic oxygen’ is formed from individual atoms of oxygen at the topmost fringes of the atmosphere, the result of standard oxygen molecules of the kind found just above the ground being broken apart by powerful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.

Atomic oxygen erosion

Bartolomeo’s Euro Material Ageing facility offers a unique opportunity to expose test materials to the combination of these effects for real, comparing the results to equivalent samples on the ground, building up knowledge of material ageing in space.

Bartolomeo connected to Columbus

The benefits don’t stop in space – research using this platform has potential of advancing innovation on Earth. “We could inform the design of fire-retardant and rust-resistant materials, and better protection for satellites could in turn help improve plastic siding for your house,” points out Jennifer.

Announcement of Opportunity

This new Announcement of Opportunity is a way to overcome these issues. Interested teams from ESA Member States or associated Member States can attend an online workshop and Q&A session on 11 June, with submission deadline of 17 July 2020. See this link for more: http://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Research/Research_Announcements

Related links:

Bartolomeo: https://www.esa.int/esearch?q=bartolomeo

Space Engineering & Technology: http://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology

International Space Station (ISS): http://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/International_Space_Station

Images, Text, Credits: ESA/Airbus/NASA.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

ESA to recruit new astronauts in late 2020

ESA - European Astronauts patch.

June 4, 2020

The European Space Agency should launch a campaign at the end of 2020 to recruit a 4th class after those of 1978, 1992 and 2009.

Example of cosmonaut selection criteria (ROSCOSMOS)

Have you always dreamed of becoming an astronaut? This may be your lucky day: the European Space Agency (ESA) is about to launch a new recruitment procedure. And that does not happen every four mornings: it will be the 4th promotion only after those of 1978, 1992 and 2009. This decision was confirmed during the triennial ministerial conference which took place on November 28, 2019 in Seville and during which the ESA member countries have decided to allocate a record budget of 14.4 billion euros to the agency.

Image above: ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano during a spacewalk with NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy on 9 July 2013.

"The process could be launched at the end of next year," said Frank De Winne, head of the European Astronaut Center in Cologne. "It will start with a communications campaign to let people know that we are looking for candidates." The selection criteria have not yet been defined, but they should not be very different from those presented in this article (read below) ten years ago.

"We haven't defined the size of this promotion yet, but it should be somewhere between two and six," said the former astronaut. It may not seem like much, but ESA is very careful on this point: there is no question of recruiting astronauts that it would not be able to fly. However, Europe does not have a capsule and must therefore rely on agreements with NASA to send its astronauts into space, in exchange for participation in its manned flight program. In this case, ESA provides the service modules for the future American capsule Orion. Two have already been delivered, and the construction of two others has been validated during the ministerial.

How to become an astronaut

Even in space ....

Becoming an astronaut is neither simple nor straightforward; there are no schools for astronauts or university courses. So how do you become an astronaut and what qualifications and qualities do you need?

Space agencies are looking for the best people possible. Training an astronaut is a considerable investment for any agency; training is lengthy and expensive, and the support needed both before and during a space mission is costly.

It takes years to organise a space mission and altogether hundreds of people are involved in preparing the astronauts and the spacecraft. Astronauts are pivotal to the success of a mission but flight opportunities are limited, so space agencies want to be sure that the astronaut selected will make the best possible use of the precious time they will spend in space.

What qualities do you need?

Astronauts need to be able to apply their considerable knowledge and skills to the tasks for which they have been trained; be able to bear tremendous responsibility while in orbit; and be determined to succeed. This is what makes them special.

Astronauts apply knowledge and skills to tasks for which they are trained

A high level of education in scientific or technical disciplines, coupled with an outstanding professional background in research, application or education fields possibly supported by the use of computer systems and applications, is essential. Previous experience with aircraft operations is a bonus, particularly if it involved responsible tasks such as being a test pilot or flight engineer. The more skills and experience an applicant has the better, as this will increase their ability to undertake a variety of tasks.

Equally essential is excellent physical condition. Astronauts have to undergo intensive periods of training and may participate in spaceflights that last for months. During this time their body will be subject to a great deal of stress and good health and physical endurance are essential.

It is a challenge to live in a confined space for long periods with other people. Among the psychological qualities required are the ability to get on well with other members of the crew, and an affinity for teamwork and adaptability, as the space crew must work well together. Would-be astronauts also need self-control and an equable temperament to cope with stress and any emergency that may arise.

Andre Kuipers in the Soyuz simulator at Star City (Russia)

On the operational side, an ability to adapt quickly to changing situations and mature judgement will be of great help in performing tasks and optimising on-orbit routines and procedures.

Lastly, astronauts must be willing to travel long distances, both on Earth and in space, and to spend long periods away from home as astronaut training takes place in a number of countries and they may participate in long-duration missions.

Public relations

Astronauts are often in the spotlight as the public and the media are curious about their life and missions. This means they must enjoy meeting the public and the press, and be able to communicate the importance of their tasks in space.

Astronauts are often in the spotlight

Fluency in English is mandatory and a good knowledge of Russian is an asset as it facilitates training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Russia. Interest in, and knowledge of, American, Russian and Japanese culture is also useful as it will facilitate good relations with our international partners on the Space Station.

Recruitment

If you believe you have the above qualities and qualifications, and can remain dedicated to your goal of becoming an astronaut, even though it will mean years of hard work, preparation and patience as you wait for an opportunity to finally board a spacecraft, then you could apply to the European Astronaut Corps.

ESA astronauts can only be selected from countries that are ESA Member States.

A selection round was held between May 2008 and May 2009. From the applicants, 8413 qualified for the selection process that was performed under the lead of ESA’s European Astronaut Centre (EAC), based in Cologne, Germany. On 20 May 2009, six new ESA astronauts were presented at a press conference held at ESA Headquarters in Paris, France. The third selection of ESA astronauts start their basic training at EAC on 1 September 2009.

The European Space Agency should launch a campaign at the end of 2020 to recruit a 4th promotion after those of 1978, 1992 and 2009. That of 2020 will include between 2 to 6 selected after qualification (if this recruitment is not postponed because of the Covid-19 crisis).

Related links:

ESA Astronauts: https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts

The European astronaut corps: https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/The_European_astronaut_corps

ESA’s European Astronaut Centre (EAC): https://www.esa.int/About_Us/EAC

European Space Agency (ESA): https://www.esa.int/

Images, Text, Credits: ESA/Corvaja/NASA/Rianovosti/Orbiter.ch Aerospace/Roland Berga.

Best regards, Orbiter.ch

SpaceX Starlink 7 launch success

SpaceX - Falcon 9 / STARLINK Mission patch.

June 4, 2020

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched another 60 Starlink satellites (Starlink-7) from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, on 4 June 2020, at 01:25 UTC (3 June, at 21:25 EDT).

SpaceX Starlink 7 launch & Falcon 9 first stage landing, 4 June 2020

Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage (Block B1049) landed on the “Just Read the Instructions” droneship, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. Falcon 9’s first stage for this mission previously supported the Telstar 18 VANTAGE mission in September 2018, the Iridium-8 mission in January 2019, and two separate Starlink missions in May 2019 and in January 2020.

Starlink Satellites Constellation

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to launch the eighth batch of approximately 60 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink 7. Delayed from May 7. Updated to clarify the possibility of launching May 17, assuming range availability. Delayed from May 17 due to Atlas 5 scrub. Delayed from May 18 due to tropical depression in landing zone. Delayed from May 19 due to Tropical Storm Arthur in booster landing zone.

Related articles & link:

SpaceX - Starlink 6 launched into orbit
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/04/spacex-starlink-6-launched-into-orbit.html

SpaceX Starlink 5 launched
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/03/spacex-starlink-5-launched.html

SpaceX Starlink 4 launched
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https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/01/spacex-spacex-starlink-2-launch-success.html

Panic wind among astronomers
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2019/05/panic-wind-among-astronomers.html

SpaceX Starlink launched
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2019/11/spacex-starlink-launched.html

SpaceX: https://www.spacex.com/

Images, Video, Text, Credits: SpaceX/SciNews/Orbiter.ch Aerospace/Roland Berga.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

Science Stepping Up on Station for Earth and Space Benefits

ISS - Expedition 63 Mission patch.

June 3, 2020

The three NASA astronauts and two Roscosmos cosmonauts that comprise the Expedition 63 crew are keeping the International Space Station humming with space research.

Less than a week into their stay on the orbiting lab, Flight Engineers Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken are still orienting themselves with station systems and operations. Meanwhile, the duo is beginning to step up their advanced science activities to benefit people on and off Earth.

Image above: The newly-expanded Expedition 63 crew with NASA astronauts (front row, from left) Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley. In the center, in the back row, is NASA Commander Chris Cassidy flanked by Roscosmos Flight Engineers (from left) Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner. Image Credit: NASA.

Hurley is getting up to speed with a pair of space physics experiments today. He started research today on space bubbles and microfluids to improve oxygen and medicine delivery systems. He then photographed hardware being set up to research how tiny particles behave in fluids. Results could improve the development of advanced materials and 3D printing techniques.

Behnken is studying how to remove and re-install a plant habitat so he can access and replace life support gear on Thursday. He also tested the SpaceX Crew Dragon’s wi-fi system that connects the spacecraft’s portable computer tablets.

International Space Station (ISS). Animation Credit: NASA

Both astronauts also joined NASA Commander Chris Cassidy on Wednesday afternoon reviewing station safety procedures and equipment. Cassidy spent the morning setting up science gear that Hurley would later use to begin his space bubbles research.

In the Russian segment of the station, cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner split their time between Earth observations, radiation checks and module inspections. The duo also videotaped messages and station activities for audiences on the ground.

Related links:

Expedition 63: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition63/index.html

Space bubbles and microfluids: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=1939

How tiny particles behave in fluids: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7433

Plant habitat: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=2036

Earth observations: https://www.energia.ru/en/iss/researches/study/14.html

Radiation checks: https://www.energia.ru/en/iss/researches/human/03.html

Commercial Crew Program: http://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

Space Station Research and Technology: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/overview.html

International Space Station (ISS): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

Image (mentioned), Animation (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/Mark Garcia.

Best regards, Orbiter.ch

Hubble Makes Surprising Find in Early Universe

NASA - Hubble Space Telescope patch.

June 3, 2020

New results from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope suggest the formation of the first stars and galaxies in the early universe took place sooner than previously thought. A European team of astronomers have found no evidence of the first generation of stars, known as Population III stars, as far back as when the universe was just 500 million years old.

The exploration of the very first galaxies remains a significant challenge in modern astronomy. We do not know when or how the first stars and galaxies in the universe formed. These questions can be addressed with the Hubble Space Telescope through deep imaging observations. Hubble allows astronomers to view the universe back to within 500 million years of the big bang.

Image above: New results from the Hubble Space Telescope suggest the formation of the first stars and galaxies in the early universe took place sooner than previously thought. A European team of astronomers have found no evidence of the first generation of stars, known as Population III stars, when the universe was less than 1 billion years old. This artist's impression presents the early universe. Image Credits: ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser and NASA.

A team of European researchers, led by Rachana Bhatawdekar of ESA (the European Space Agency), set out to study the first generation of stars in the early universe. Known as Population III stars, these stars were forged from the primordial material that emerged from the big bang. Population III stars must have been made solely out of hydrogen, helium and lithium, the only elements that existed before processes in the cores of these stars could create heavier elements, such as oxygen, nitrogen, carbon and iron.

Bhatawdekar and her team probed the early universe from about 500 million to 1 billion years after the big bang by studying the cluster MACS J0416 and its parallel field with the Hubble Space Telescope (with supporting data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and the ground-based Very Large Telescope of the European Southern Observatory). "We found no evidence of these first-generation Population III stars in this cosmic time interval," said Bhatawdekar of the new results.

The result was achieved using the Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Camera 3 and Advanced Camera for Surveys, as part of the Hubble Frontier Fields program. This program (which observed six distant galaxy clusters from 2012 to 2017) produced the deepest observations ever made of galaxy clusters and the galaxies located behind them which were magnified by the gravitational lensing effect, thereby revealing galaxies 10 to 100 times fainter than any previously observed. The masses of foreground galaxy clusters are large enough to bend and magnify the light from the more distant objects behind them. This allows Hubble to use these cosmic magnifying glasses to study objects that are beyond its nominal operational capabilities.

Image above: This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows the galaxy cluster MACS J0416. This is one of six galaxy clusters being studied by the Hubble Frontier Fields program, which produced the deepest images of gravitational lensing ever made. Scientists used intracluster light (visible in blue) to study the distribution of dark matter within the cluster. Image Credits: NASA, ESA and M. Montes (University of New South Wales).

Bhatawdekar and her team developed a new technique that removes the light from the bright foreground galaxies that constitute these gravitational lenses. This allowed them to discover galaxies with lower masses than ever previously observed with Hubble, at a distance corresponding to when the universe was less than a billion years old. At this point in cosmic time, the lack of evidence for exotic stellar populations and the identification of many low-mass galaxies supports the suggestion that these galaxies are the most likely candidates for the reionization of the universe. This period of reionization in the early universe is when the neutral intergalactic medium was ionized by the first stars and galaxies.

"These results have profound astrophysical consequences as they show that galaxies must have formed much earlier than we thought," said Bhatawdekar. "This also strongly supports the idea that low-mass/faint galaxies in the early universe are responsible for reionization."

These results also suggest that the earliest formation of stars and galaxies occurred much earlier than can be probed with the Hubble Space Telescope. This leaves an exciting area of further research for the upcoming NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope — to study the universe's earliest galaxies.

Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Animation Credits: NASA/ESA

These results are based on a previous 2019 paper by Bhatawdekar et al., and a paper that will appear in an upcoming issue of the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS). These results are also being presented at a press conference during the 236th meeting of American Astronomical Society.

The European team of astronomers in this study consists of R. Bhatawdekar and C.J. Conselice.

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope. The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore conducts Hubble science operations. STScI is operated for NASA by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy in Washington, D.C.

Related links:

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS): https://academic.oup.com/mnras
https://arxiv.org/abs/1807.07580

236th meeting of American Astronomical Society: http://aas.org/meetings/aas236

Dark Energy and Dark Matter: http://www.nasa.gov/subject/6891/dark-energy-and-dark-matter/

For more information about Hubble, visit:

http://hubblesite.org/

http://www.nasa.gov/hubble

http://www.spacetelescope.org/

Images (mentioned), Animation (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/Rob Garner/GSFC/Claire Andreoli/ESA/Hubble/Bethany Downer/ESA/ESTEC/Rachana Bhatawdekar/Space Telescope Science Institute/Ray Villard.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

Discovering the Inner Life of Lightning from the International Space Station

ISS - International Space Station logo.

June 3, 2020

You have likely seen lightning flash from a storm cloud to strike the ground. Such bolts represent only a small part of the overall phenomenon of lightning, though. The most powerful activity occurs high above the surface, in Earth’s upper atmosphere.

Up there, lightning creates brief bursts of gamma rays that are the most high-energy naturally produced phenomena on the planet. Researchers recently measured these high-energy terrestrial gamma-ray flashes, or TGFs, using instruments on the International Space Station. The work helps reveal the mechanism behind the creation of the bright flashes we call lightning.

Image above: Animation of a terrestrial gamma-ray flash or TGF followed by an elve as observed by the Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM). Animation Credits: Birkeland Centre for Space Science and Mount Visual.

The instruments are part of the Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM), an Earth observation facility on the outside of the space station used to study severe thunderstorms and their role in Earth’s atmosphere and climate. ASIM recorded other types of upper-atmospheric lightning known as transient luminous events (TLEs) in addition to TGFs. ASIM’s high-speed instruments helped researchers to determine the sequence of events that produces TGFs, as reported in a paper recently published in the journal Science.

“With ASIM, we see how the atmosphere and clouds bubble like a pot of stew on the stove,” says Torsten Neubert of the National Space Institute, Technical University of Denmark and lead author on the paper. “Convection brings humidity, dust and other particles into the upper atmosphere where they affect Earth’s radiation balance. Lightning is a measure of convection and can be relatively simple to put into weather and climate models.”

Image above: The Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM) investigation installed on the International Space Station’s Columbus External Payload Facility (Columbus-EPF). Photo taken by the ground-controlled External High Definition Camera 3 (EHDC3). Image Credit: NASA.

Lightning is a rapid discharge of electricity that temporarily equalizes opposite charges within a cloud or between a cloud and the ground. Charging of the cloud is powered by convection, with lighter ice particles carried aloft and heavier particles falling under the pull of gravity. When these particles collide, they exchange charge, and the lighter particles carry positive charge up while heavier particles take negative charge down. The atmosphere acts as an insulator between these electrical fields until the strength of the charge overpowers the insulating properties of the atmosphere. Then the lightning leader – actually a long spark – forms between regions of the cloud or between the cloud and the ground, occurring so rapidly that it is hard for humans to see. When the leader connects to the ground, we see a bright flash of high current: the lightning stroke.

Neubert and his team observed a TGF occurring at the onset of a lightning current pulse, which then generated an elve. Elves are expanding waves of ultraviolet emission in the ionosphere above a thunderstorm, like cosmic ripples from a pebble dropped into water. Measurements suggested that the onset of the current happens quickly at high amplitude and that the gamma-ray flash is generated by electric fields associated with the lightning leader. These observations provide evidence of a connection between TLEs and TGFs.

Image above: Artist's impression of multi-wavelength emission above a thunderstorm based on data from ASIM. The high electric field associated with lightning (light blue) generates a terrestrial gamma-ray flash (magenta). The resulting electromagnetic pulse causes an elve, or expanding ring of ultraviolet emission (red and white). Image Credits: Birkeland Centre for Space Science, Daniel Schmelling/Mount Visual.

When a thunderstorm generates very high energy electrons that burst out into the upper atmosphere, they last only milliseconds but emit X- and gamma-rays that ASIM can measure. The experiment helped pinpoint what happens as these electrons are released.

“As lightning winds its way through a cloud, the atmosphere ahead may break down into a very fast pulse of very high current,” Neurbert says. “In the process, it flings out electrons, which create the bright flashes. Understanding this process opens up the inner life of lightning.”

Because lightning is dangerous, scientists tend to study it in the lab, but that cannot get to its true nature, Neubert adds. “We can use this new information on how high energy radiation is generated to learn more about the processes inside lightning.”

Lightnings bellow Space Station. Animation Credit: NASA

TGFs occur at altitudes well above normal lightning and storm clouds, so measuring them is challenging. As the lowest platform in space, much lower than satellites, the space station places ASIM closer to what it measures. ASIM’s instruments also point directly downward from the space station, making it possible to catch as many of the photons in a lightning flash as possible.

Another NASA instrument, the Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS), measured characteristics of lightning for 17 years beginning in 1997, but the satellite’s orbit  covered only between 35 degrees north and south latitudes, primarily the tropics. An identical LIS mounted on the space station in 2017 expanded that coverage to between 56 degrees north and south latitudes. LIS data helped scientists examine the relationship between lightning and severe weather. Comparing ASIM data with that from LIS and other instruments helps make it more useful for weather predictions, Neubert says.

Ultimately, ASIM helps scientists better understand how thunderstorms affect Earth’s atmosphere.

“We soon will have continuous and almost full global monitoring of lightning from U.S., European and Chinese instruments in geostationary orbit. This coverage will improve weather and climate forecasts, provided you know how to use the data. That is where we hope ASIM helps,” Neubert says. “It’s an incredibly exciting time.”

Related links:

Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=1822

TLEs: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/Once_Upon_a_Time_in_a_Thunderstorm

Journal Science: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/367/6474/183

Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS): https://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/news/releases/2017/nasa-to-launch-sequel-to-successful-lightning-study-mission.html

Space Station Research and Technology: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/overview.html

International Space Station (ISS): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

Animations (mentioned), Images (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/Michael Johnson/JSC/International Space Station Program Research Office/Melissa Gaskill.

Best regards, Orbiter.ch

OSIRIS-REx Swoops Over Sample Site Osprey

NASA - OSIRIS-REx Mission patch.

June 3, 2020

This view of sample site Osprey on asteroid Bennu is a mosaic of images collected by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft on May 26. A total of 347 PolyCam images were stitched together and corrected to produce the mosaic, which shows the site at 0.2 inches (5 mm) per pixel at full size. The spacecraft took these images during an 820-foot (250-meter) reconnaissance pass over the site, which is the closest Osprey has been imaged. The pass was designed to provide high-resolution imagery to identify the best areas within the site to collect a sample.

Image Credits: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

The sample site is located in the crater at the bottom of the image, just above the dark patch at the crater’s center. The long, light-colored boulder to the left of the dark patch, named Strix Saxum, is 17 ft (5.2 m) in length. The mosaic is rotated so that Bennu’s east is at the top of the image.

OSIRIS-REx collecting sample on Bennu. Animation Credit: NASA

Osprey is the backup sample collection site for the OSIRIS-REx mission. OSIRIS-REx is scheduled to make its first sample collection attempt at primary site Nightingale on Oct. 20.

Related article:

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Ready for Touchdown on Asteroid Bennu
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/05/nasas-osiris-rex-ready-for-touchdown-on.html

Related link:

OSIRIS-REx (Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security Regolith Explorer): http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/osiris-rex/index.html

Image (mentioned), Animation (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/Rob Garner/GSFC/Nancy N. Jones/University of Arizona/Erin Morton.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch