samedi 2 juillet 2022

Virgin Orbit - LauncherOne launches “Straight Up”

 







Virgin Orbit - LauncherOne “Straight Up” Mission patch.


July 2, 2022

Illustration of “Cosmic Girl” aircraft release the LauncherOne rocket

For Virgin Orbit’s “Straight Up” mission, the “Cosmic Girl” aircraft took off from the Mojave Air and Spaceport in California, on 2 July 2022, at 05:49 UTC (1 July, 22:49 PST).

LauncherOne launches “Straight Up”

“Cosmic Girl” traveled off the Pacific coast to about 9.6 km (31500ft) in altitude, then released the LauncherOne rocket that launched seven satellites for the U.S. Space Force’s STP-S28A mission, at 06:53 UTC (1 July, 23:53 PST).

The U.S. Space Force will launch seven (7) satellites provided by multiple government agencies that will conduct experiments in space-based communications, in-space navigation, and climate change.

About Virgin Orbit

Virgin Orbit (Nasdaq: VORB) operates one of the most flexible and responsive space launch systems ever built. Founded by Sir Richard Branson in 2017, the company began commercial service in 2021, and has already delivered commercial, civil, national security, and international satellites into orbit. Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rockets are designed and manufactured in Long Beach, California, and are air-launched from a modified 747- 400 carrier aircraft that allows Virgin Orbit to operate from locations all over the world in order to best serve each customer’s needs.

Virgin Orbit: https://virginorbit.com/

Related add-on for Flight Simulator X (FSX):


Boeing 747-400 Virgin Orbit for FSX. Image & Add-on by Orbiter.ch Aerospace / Roland Berga. Available for free at:  https://simulators.jimdo.com/
 
Images, Video, Text, Credits: Virgin Orbit/SciNews/Orbiter.ch Aerospace/Roland Berga.

Best regards, Orbiter.ch

ULA - Atlas V launches USSF-12

 











ULA - Atlas V / USSF-12 Mission poster.


July 2, 2022

Atlas V carrying USSF-12 liftoff

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 541 launch vehicle launched the USSF-12 mission directly to geosynchronous orbit, from Space Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, on 1 July 2022, at 23:15 UTC (19:15 EDT).

Atlas V launches USSF-12

The USSF-12 mission for the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) has two satellite payloads: the Wide Field of View (WFOV) Testbed for SSC's Space Sensing Directorate and the USSF-12 Ring spacecraft for the Defense Department’s Space Test Program. Atlas V will deliver both spacecraft directly to geosynchronous orbit approximately 35,500 km (22,000 miles) above the equator approximately 6 hours after liftoff.

USSF-12

USSF-12’s primary payload is the U.S. Space Force’s SSC’s Wide Field of View (WFOV) testbed, with a secondary payload for the DoD’s STP.

Wide Field of View (WFOV) Testbed

The WFOV testbed is an Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) technology demonstrator that will mature and prove the effectiveness of its 6-degree staring sensor called Wide-Area Six-Degree Payload (WASP). Developed by L3 Harris under a separate contract, WASP will be able to observe nearly one third of Earth’s surface. WFOV will be capable of performing strategic and tactical missions, such as battlespace awareness and missile warning, and directly supporting warfighters by monitoring Earth’s surface respectively. With pathfinding the process to operationalize OPIR data, the WFOV testbed will play an important role as part of the Missile Warning, Tracking, and Defense architecture.

An artist’s render of the Wide Field of View testbed satellite

The WFOV testbed is based on Millennium Space System’s Aquila M8 satellite bus. It has two deployable solar arrays offering a baseline payload power of 2500 W (options up to 10 kW), is powered by a bi-propellant propulsion system, and single or dual string avionics. The Aquila M8 satellite bus is Millennium Space System’s biggest satellite bus in their line-up, weighing ~3,000 kg with a payload accommodation of over 350 kg. It’s designed to operate 3 to 5 years on orbit.

United Launch Alliance (ULA): https://www.ulalaunch.com/
 
Images, video, Text, Credits: Credits: United Launch Alliance/Millennium Space Systems/SciNews/Orbiter.ch Aerospace/Roland Berga.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

NASA’s Moon Rocket and Spacecraft Arrive at Vehicle Assembly Building

 







NASA - ARTEMIS-1 Mission patch.


July 2, 2022

At approximately 4:12 a.m. ET today, NASA’s Artemis I Moon rocket atop the crawler-transporter left launch pad 39B and began its 4-mile trek to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Moon rocket atop the crawler-transporter left launch pad 39B

At approximately 2:30 p.m. ET, NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission were firmly secured inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center after a four-mile journey from launch pad 39B that began at 4:12 a.m. ET Saturday, July 2.

Over the next several days, the team will extend work platforms to allow access to SLS and Orion. In the coming weeks, teams will replace a seal on the quick disconnect of the tail service mast umbilical and perform additional checkouts and activities before returning to the pad for launch.

Related articles:

Artemis I Rollback to VAB Rescheduled for July 1 (July 2 for Europa)
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/07/artemis-i-rollback-to-vab-rescheduled.html

Teams on Track for Artemis I Wet Dress Rehearsal Test
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/06/teams-on-track-for-artemis-i-wet-dress.html

Artemis I Moon Rocket Heads Back to Launch Pad for Testing
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/06/artemis-i-moon-rocket-heads-back-to.html

Artemis I Moon Rocket to Return to Launch Pad 39B in Early June
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/05/artemis-i-moon-rocket-to-return-to.html

Artemis I Mission Availability
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/05/artemis-i-mission-availability.html

Work Continues to Return Artemis I Moon Rocket Back to Launch Pad for Next Test
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/05/work-continues-to-return-artemis-i-moon.html

NASA’s Artemis I Moon Rocket to Depart Launch Pad 39B Today
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/04/nasas-artemis-i-moon-rocket-to-depart.html

Artemis I WDR Update: Teams Working Solution to Continue Propellant Loading Operations
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/04/artemis-i-wdr-update-teams-working.html

Artemis I Update: Countdown is Underway for Wet Dress Rehearsal
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/04/artemis-i-update-countdown-is-underway.html

NASA Prepares for Next Artemis I Wet Dress Rehearsal Attempt
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/04/nasa-prepares-for-next-artemis-i-wet.html

Artemis I WDR Update: Go to Proceed for Tanking – Countdown Resumes
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/04/artemis-i-wdr-update-go-to-proceed-for.html

NASA ‘Go’ for Artemis I Wet Dress Rehearsal
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/03/nasa-go-for-artemis-i-wet-dress.html

Standing tall: Moon rocket milestone for Artemis
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/03/standing-tall-moon-rocket-milestone-for.html

NASA Readies Rocket for Artemis I Wet Dress Rehearsal
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/03/nasa-readies-rocket-for-artemis-i-wet.html

Related link:

Artemis I: http://www.nasa.gov/artemis-1

Space Launch System (SLS): https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/index.html

Orion spacecraft: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/orion/index.html

Image, Text, Credits: NASA/Madison Tuttle.

Best regards, Orbiter.ch

vendredi 1 juillet 2022

Artemis I Rollback to VAB Rescheduled for July 1 (July 2 for Europa)

 







NASA - ARTEMIS-1 Mission patch.


July 1, 2022

Update

Teams have rescheduled the return of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to Friday, July 1 due a concern with the condition of the crawlerway that leads from Launch Pad 39B to the VAB. First motion is now planned for 6 p.m. EDT.

Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission

This afternoon, teams conducted a series of conditioning efforts driving the massive transporter up and down the slope leading to the launch pad. The inclined pathway must be precisely level with an even distribution of the rocks that make up the crawlerway in order to support the load of the mobile launcher and rocket that it will carry.

Teams will continue grating, or sifting, the crawlerway overnight and the rocket and spacecraft remain in a safe configuration.

(Previous) NASA to Roll Artemis I Rocket, Spacecraft to VAB Thursday

NASA will roll the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission from launch pad 39B to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida beginning Thursday, June 30.

First motion for the rocket and spacecraft atop the mobile launcher is expected to occur at 8 p.m. EDT today. The 4-mile trek atop the crawler transporter from the launch pad to the VAB will take approximately 8-12 hours. The journey previously was expected to begin just after midnight on July 1 but was moved up by several hours due to forecasted weather in the area. Teams will continue monitoring weather in the area and the start of the roll is subject to change.

Teams completed the wet dress rehearsal test campaign for Artemis I on June 20 and have configured the rocket and spacecraft for return to the VAB. Once there, teams will replace a seal on the quick disconnect of the tail service mast umbilical to address a liquid hydrogen leak detected during the rehearsal along with final servicing and checkouts. NASA plans to return the mega Moon rocket to the pad for launch in late August and will set a specific target launch date after replacing hardware associated with the leak.

Related articles:

Teams on Track for Artemis I Wet Dress Rehearsal Test
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/06/teams-on-track-for-artemis-i-wet-dress.html

Artemis I Moon Rocket Heads Back to Launch Pad for Testing
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/06/artemis-i-moon-rocket-heads-back-to.html

Artemis I Moon Rocket to Return to Launch Pad 39B in Early June
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/05/artemis-i-moon-rocket-to-return-to.html

Artemis I Mission Availability
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/05/artemis-i-mission-availability.html

Work Continues to Return Artemis I Moon Rocket Back to Launch Pad for Next Test
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/05/work-continues-to-return-artemis-i-moon.html

NASA’s Artemis I Moon Rocket to Depart Launch Pad 39B Today
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/04/nasas-artemis-i-moon-rocket-to-depart.html

Artemis I WDR Update: Teams Working Solution to Continue Propellant Loading Operations
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/04/artemis-i-wdr-update-teams-working.html

Artemis I Update: Countdown is Underway for Wet Dress Rehearsal
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/04/artemis-i-update-countdown-is-underway.html

NASA Prepares for Next Artemis I Wet Dress Rehearsal Attempt
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/04/nasa-prepares-for-next-artemis-i-wet.html

Artemis I WDR Update: Go to Proceed for Tanking – Countdown Resumes
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/04/artemis-i-wdr-update-go-to-proceed-for.html

NASA ‘Go’ for Artemis I Wet Dress Rehearsal
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/03/nasa-go-for-artemis-i-wet-dress.html

Standing tall: Moon rocket milestone for Artemis
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/03/standing-tall-moon-rocket-milestone-for.html

NASA Readies Rocket for Artemis I Wet Dress Rehearsal
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2022/03/nasa-readies-rocket-for-artemis-i-wet.html

Related link:

Artemis I: http://www.nasa.gov/artemis-1

Space Launch System (SLS): https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/index.html

Orion spacecraft: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/orion/index.html

Image, Text, Credits: NASA/Tiffany Fairley.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

Crew Works Multitude of Research Before Fourth of July Weekend

 







ISS - Expedition 67 Mission patch.


July 1, 2022

The seven Expedition 67 crew members are going into the weekend with a host of microgravity research and housekeeping activities. The four astronauts and three cosmonauts will also relax on Monday observing the Fourth of July U.S. holiday aboard the International Space Station.


International Space Station (ISS). Animation Credit: NASA

NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren and Bob Hines participated in a robotics test on Friday. The duo practiced simulated robotics maneuvers on a computer for the Behavioral Core Measures space psychology study. The investigation may provide insights into behavioral health and performance issues crews may face separated from family and friends while on missions farther away from Earth.

NASA Flight Engineer Jessica Watkins set up acoustic monitors in the Kibo laboratory module, the Tranquility module, and the Zvezda service module on Friday. Mission controllers want to ensure station noise levels remain acceptable.

ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti started Friday checking samples for the Soft Matter Dynamics fluid physics study potentially impacting the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries among others. Cristoforetti also serviced combustion research hardware and installed new software to maintain operations and support ongoing science inside an EXPRESS rack.


Image above: Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti replaces centrifuge components inside the Columbus laboratory module’s BioLab. Image Credit: NASA.

In the Russian segment of the orbiting lab, Commander Oleg Artemyev had a hearing test then moved on and set up hardware to measure activity in the Earth’s upper atmosphere. Flight Engineer Denis Matveev studied ways future crew members might pilot spacecraft and robots on planetary missions. Flight Engineer Sergey Korsakov collected his blood and saliva samples for an experiment investigating how the immune system adapts to long-term spaceflight.

All seven space station crew members will spend Saturday on housekeeping activities such as disinfecting surfaces, vacuuming dust, and clearing vents for better airflow. Also on Saturday, the NanoRacks Bishop airlock will open up to the vacuum of space for the first time and jettison a trash container toward Earth’s atmosphere for a fiery, but safe disposal. The crew will then relax on Sunday and Monday enjoying a long Fourth of July weekend.

Related links:

Expedition 67: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition67/index.html

Behavioral Core Measures: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7537

Kibo laboratory module: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/japan-kibo-laboratory

Tranquility module: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/tranquility/

Zvezda service module: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/zvezda-service-module.html

Soft Matter Dynamics: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7963

EXPRESS rack: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=598

Pilot spacecraft and robots: https://www.energia.ru/en/iss/researches/human/24.html

Immune system: https://www.energia.ru/en/iss/researches/human/22.html

NanoRacks Bishop airlock: https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/spinoff/New_Doorway_to_Space

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 Delves into Cosmic Treasure Trove

 







NASA - Hubble Space Telescope patch.


July 1, 2022


This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope captures the sparkling globular cluster NGC 6569 in the constellation Sagittarius. Hubble explored the heart of this cluster with both its Wide Field Camera 3 and Advanced Camera for Surveys, revealing a glittering hoard of stars in this astronomical treasure trove.

Globular clusters are stable, tightly bound clusters containing tens of thousands to millions of stars and are associated with all types of galaxies. The intense gravitational attraction of these closely packed clusters of stars means that globular clusters have a regular spherical shape with a densely populated center, as seen at the heart of this star-studded image.

This observation comes from an investigation of globular clusters which lie close to the center of the Milky Way. Previous surveys avoided these objects, as the dusty center of our galaxy blocks their light and alters the colors of the stars residing in them. A star’s color is particularly important for astronomers studying stellar evolution, and can give astronomers insights into their ages, compositions, and temperatures.

The astronomers who proposed these observations combined data from Hubble with data from astronomical archives, allowing them to measure the ages of globular clusters including NGC 6569. Their research also provided insights into the structure and density of globular clusters towards the center of the Milky Way.

Hubble Space Telescope (HST)

For more information about Hubble, visit:

http://hubblesite.org/

http://www.nasa.gov/hubble

https://esahubble.org/

Text Credits: European Space Agency (ESA)/NASA/Andrea Gianopoulos/Image, Animation Credits: ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. Cohen.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

Space Station Science Highlights: Week of June 27, 2022

 







ISS - Expedition 67 Mission patch.


July 1, 2022

Crew members aboard the International Space Station conducted scientific investigations during the week of June 27 that included collecting standard health and performance measures, testing new techniques for growing plants, and demonstrating wireless data transmission for wearable sensors.

Here are details on some of the microgravity investigations currently taking place aboard the orbiting lab:

Human adaptation to space

To help prepare for long-duration missions to other planets, scientists have been collecting data on how crew members respond to life in microgravity throughout the existence of the space station. The Standard Measures investigation collects a set of core measurements, including data on behavioral health and performance, cellular profiles and immunology, the microbiome, biochemistry markers, sensorimotor changes, and cardiovascular health. These data help researchers characterize adaptive responses to living and working in space and monitor the effectiveness of countermeasures. Crew members collected and processed samples during the week.

Scaling up plant growth


Animation above: NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins (far left and visible in mirror) prepares a module for XROOTS, a demonstration of hydroponic (liquid-based) and aeroponic (air-based) techniques for growing plants, as NASA astronaut Robert Hines and ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti look on. Animation Credit: NASA.

XROOTS uses hydroponic (liquid-based) and aeroponic (air-based) techniques to grow plants without traditional growth media, which could enable production of crops on a larger scale for future space exploration. Current systems for growing plants in space, which are small and use particulate media-based water and nutrient delivery systems, do not scale well in space and can have containment, maintenance, and sanitation issues. Hydroponic and aeroponic techniques could provide plant systems of sufficient size to contribute to the food supply on future space exploration missions. Components of this growth system also could enhance cultivation of plants in terrestrial settings such as greenhouses and contribute to better food security for people on Earth. Crew members installed seed cartridges and root modules during the week.

Does this shirt make me look smart?


Image above: ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti inside the space station cupola wearing the Smart Shirt for Wireless Compose-2, a demonstration of the garment, which has sensors that measure body motion and heartbeat, and a wireless network for transmitting the data it collects. Image Credit: NASA.

Wireless Compose-2, an investigation from ESA (European Space Agency), demonstrates the Smart Shirt, a garment with sensors that measure body motion and heartbeat, and a wireless network for transmitting the data. This technology has potential use for monitoring the health of astronauts and helping to determine the effect of the space environment on the cardiovascular system. Wireless Compose-2 also demonstrates new hardware that could enable precise control of free-flying robotic systems and identification of obstacles to operating such systems in environments comparable to the space station. During the week, crew members conducted sessions wearing the Smart Shirt.

Other investigations involving the crew:


Image above: This image shows the Parinacota (top) and Pomerape stratovolcanoes on the Chile-Bolivia border as the International Space Station orbits 263 miles above the South American nation of Chile. Parinacota is a dormant volcano about 20,800 feet high and Pomerape, last active over 100,000 years ago, has an elevation of about 20,600 feet. Image Credit: NASA.

- EarthKAM allows students to remotely control a digital camera mounted on the space station to take photographs of coastlines, mountain ranges, and other interesting features and phenomena on Earth. The EarthKAM team posts the images online, where they are available to the public and participating classrooms.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=87

- UNIGLO tests microgravity’s effects on a module capable of processing various types of complex glasses. This investigation could expand commercial use of the space station and help establish manufacturing capabilities in space, as well as lead to development of novel optical fibers for communications, aerospace, remote sensing, medical diagnostics, surgery, and other uses in space and on the ground.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=8383

- NutrISS, an investigation from ESA, assesses an individual’s body composition and energy balance throughout spaceflight using wearable sensors and ESA’s EveryWear app. Results could lead to improved physical health and quality of life for astronauts and better clinical management of malnourished, obese, or immobilized patients on Earth.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7875

- Actiwatch is a wearable monitor that continuously collects data on a crew member’s circadian rhythms, sleep-wake patterns, and activity during flight, beginning as soon as possible after arrival aboard the station. The data could be used to analyze circadian rhythms, sleep-wake patterns, and activity as part of efforts to monitor crew health and well-being as well as adaptation to space.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=838

- ISS Ham Radio provides students, teachers, parents, and others the opportunity to communicate with astronauts using amateur radio units. Before a scheduled call, students learn about the station, radio waves, and other topics, and prepare a list of questions on topics they have researched.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=337

Space to Ground: Halftime Report: 07/01/2022

The space station is a robust microgravity laboratory with a multitude of specialized research facilities and tools. Over more than two decades of continuous operation, it has supported many scientific breakthroughs from investigations spanning every major scientific discipline. The orbiting lab conveys benefits to future space exploration, advances basic and applied research on Earth, and provides a platform for a growing commercial presence in low-Earth orbit.

Related links:

Expedition 67: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition67/index.html

Standard Measures: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7711

XROOTS: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=8088

Wireless Compose-2: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=8563

ISS National Lab: https://www.issnationallab.org/

Spot the Station: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/

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

Animation (mentioned), Images (mentioned), Video (NASA), Text, Credits: NASA/Ana Guzman/John Love, ISS Research Planning Integration Scientist Expedition 67.

Best regards, Orbiter.ch

Another Webb Telescope Instrument Gets the “Go for Science”

 







NASA / ESA / CSA-ASC - James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) patch.


July 1, 2022

The second of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s four primary scientific instruments, known as the Mid-Infrared instrument (MIRI), has concluded its postlaunch preparations and is now ready for science.

Artist's view of James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)

The last MIRI mode to be checked off was its coronagraphic imaging capability, which uses two different styles of masks to intentionally block starlight from hitting its sensors when attempting to make observations of the star’s orbiting planets. These customized masks allow for scientists to directly detect exoplanets and study dust disks around their host stars in a way that’s never been done before.

Along with Webb’s three other instruments, MIRI initially cooled off in the shade of Webb’s tennis-court-size sunshield to about 90 kelvins (minus 298 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 183 degrees Celsius). To perform its intended science meant dropping to less than 7 kelvins — just a few degrees above the lowest temperature matter can reach — by using an electrically powered cryocooler. These extreme operating temperatures allow for MIRI to deliver mid-infrared images and spectra with an unprecedented combination of sharpness and sensitivity.

“We are thrilled that MIRI is now a functioning, state-of-the-art instrument with performances across all its capabilities better than expected. Our multinational commissioning team has done a fantastic job getting MIRI ready in the space of just a few weeks. Now we celebrate all the people, scientists, engineers, managers, national agencies, ESA, and NASA, who have made this instrument a reality as MIRI begins to explore the infrared universe in ways and to depths never achieved before,” said Gillian Wright, MIRI European principal investigator at the UK Astronomy Technology Centre, and George Rieke, MIRI science lead at the University of Arizona. MIRI was developed as a partnership between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency), with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory leading the U.S. efforts and a multi-national consortium of European astronomical institutes contributing for ESA.

With NIRISS and MIRI postlaunch commissioning activities concluded, the Webb team will continue to focus on checking off the remaining two modes on its other instruments. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, a partnership with ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA, will release its first full-color images and spectroscopic data on July 12, 2022.

Related links:


Mid-Infrared instrument (MIRI): https://webb.nasa.gov/content/observatory/instruments/miri.html

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/webb/main/index.html

Image, Text, Credits: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Thaddeus Cesari.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

Novel NASA Instrument Sets Sights on Earth-bound Solar Radiation

 






NASA - Compact Total Irradiance Monitor (CTIM) logo.


July 1, 2022

A very small instrument has a big job ahead of it: measuring all Earth-directed energy coming from the Sun and helping scientists understand how that energy influences our planet’s severe weather, climate change and other global forces.

About the size of a shoebox or gaming console, the Compact Total Irradiance Monitor (CTIM) is the smallest satellite ever dispatched to observe the sum of all solar energy Earth receives from the Sun — also known as “total solar irradiance.”

CTIM-FD: Compact Total Irradiance Monitor Flight Demonstration

Video above: CTIM-FD is an eight-channel, 6U CubeSat that will spend one year in orbit to see if small satellites can be as effective at measuring Total Solar Irradiance as larger sensors like the Total Irradiance Monitor instrument used aboard the SORCE and TSIS-1 missions. Video Credits: NASA/Willaman Creative.

Total solar irradiance is a major component of the Earth radiation budget, which tracks the balance between incoming and outgoing solar energy. Increased amounts of greenhouse gases emitted from human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, trap increased amounts of solar energy within Earth’s atmosphere.

That increased energy raises global temperatures and changes Earth’s climate, which in turn drives things like rising sea levels and severe weather.

“By far the dominant energy input to Earth’s climate comes from the Sun,” said Dave Harber, a senior researcher at the University of Colorado, Boulder, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) and principal investigator for CTIM. “It’s a key input for predictive models forecasting how Earth’s climate might change over time.”

NASA missions like the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment and NASA instruments like CERES have allowed climate scientists to maintain an unbroken  record of total solar irradiance stretching back 40 years. This enabled researchers to rule out increased solar energy as a culprit for climate change and recognize the role greenhouse gases play in global warming.


Image above: NASA’s Compact Total Irradiance Monitor (CTIM) instrument, which will help researchers better understand how solar energy impacts innumerable Earth systems. Image Credits: Tim Hellickson / University of Colorado, Boulder.

Ensuring that record remains unbroken is of paramount importance to Earth scientists. With an unbroken total solar irradiance record, researchers can detect small fluctuations in the amount of solar radiation Earth receives during the solar cycle, as well as emphasize the impact greenhouse gas emissions have on Earth’s climate.

For example, last year, researchers from NASA and NOAA relied on the unbroken total solar irradiance record to determine that, between 2005 and 2019, the amount of solar radiation that remains in Earth’s atmosphere nearly doubled.

“In order to make sure we can continue to collect these measurements, we need to make instruments as efficient and cost-effective as possible,” Harber said.

CTIM is a prototype: its flight demonstration will help scientists determine if small satellites could be as effective at measuring total solar irradiance as larger instruments, such as the Total Irradiance Monitor (TIM) instrument used aboard the completed SORCE mission and the ongoing TSIS-1 mission on the International Space Station. If successful, the prototype will advance the approaches used for future instruments.

CTIM’s radiation detector takes advantage of a new carbon nanotube material that absorbs 99.995% of incoming light. This makes it uniquely well suited for measuring total solar irradiance.

Reducing a satellite’s size reduces the cost and complexity of deploying that satellite into low-Earth orbit. That allows scientists to prepare spare instruments that can preserve the TSI data record should an existing instrument malfunction.

CTIM’s novel radiation detector – also known as a bolometer – takes advantage of a new material developed alongside researchers at the National Institute for Standards and Technology.

 “It looks a bit like a very, very dark shag carpet. It was the blackest substance humans had ever manufactured when it was first created, and it continues to be an exceptionally useful material for observing TSI,” Harber said.


Image above: LASP researchers working on CTIM at the University of Colorado, Boulder. About the size of a shoebox, CTIM is the smallest instrument ever dispatched to study total solar irradiance. Image Credits: Tim Hellickson/University of Colorado, Boulder.

Made of minuscule carbon nanotubes arranged vertically on a silicon wafer, the material absorbs nearly all light along the electromagnetic spectrum.

Together, CTIM’s two bolometers take up less space than the face of a quarter. This allowed Harber and his team to develop a tiny instrument fit for gathering total irradiance data from a small CubeSat platform.

A sister instrument, the Compact Spectral Irradiance Monitor (CSIM), used the same bolometers in 2019 to successfully explore variability within bands of light present in sunlight. Future NASA missions may merge CTIM and CSIM into a single compact tool for both measuring and dissecting solar radiation.

“Now we’re asking ourselves, ‘How do we take what we’ve developed with CSIM and CTIM and integrate them together,’” Harber said.

Harber expects CTIM to begin collecting data about a month after launch, currently scheduled for June 30, 2022, aboard STP-28A, a Space Force mission executed by Virgin Orbit. Once Harber and his LASP colleagues unfold CTIM’s solar panels and check each of its subsystems, they will activate CTIM. It’s a delicate process, one that requires diligence and extreme care.

“We want to take our time and make sure that we’re doing these steps rigorously, and that each component of this instrument is working correctly before we move on to the next step,” Harber said. “Just demonstrating that we can gather these measurements with a CubeSat would be a big deal. That would be very gratifying.”

Funded through the InVEST program in NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office, CTIM launches from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California aboard Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rocket as part of the United States Space Force STP-S28A mission.

Another NASA graduate from the InVEST technology program, NACHOS-2, will also be aboard. A NACHOS twin, NACHOS-2 will help the Department of Energy monitor trace gases in Earth’s atmosphere.

Related links:

Compact Total Irradiance Monitor (CTIM): https://esto.nasa.gov/invest/ctim/

National Institute for Standards and Technology: https://www.nist.gov/

NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office: http://esto.nasa.gov/

Images (mentioned), Video (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/Ellen Gray/NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office, by Gage Taylor.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

jeudi 30 juin 2022

Thursday’s Research Explores Botany, Artificial Intelligence, and Immune System

 







ISS - Expedition 67 Mission patch.


June 30, 2022

The Expedition 67 crew members tended to plants and explored artificial intelligence aboard the International Space Station today. The four astronauts and three cosmonauts also split their day configuring a U.S. airlock and investigating how microgravity affects the human body.

NASA Flight Engineer Bob Hines worked in the Columbus laboratory module on Thursday afternoon processing radish seeds germinating for the XROOTS space botany study. The investigation uses soilless techniques, such as hydroponics and aeroponics, to nourish and grow plants for producing crops on a larger scale for future space missions.


Image above: Expedition 67 crew members are pictured enjoying pizza during dinner time aboard the space station in May of 2022. Image Credit: NASA.

Hines also joined NASA Flight Engineers Kjell Lindgren and Jessica Watkins configuring the NanoRacks Bishop airlock for its first trash disposal task this weekend. The trio prepared the airlock for its depressurization and closed its hatch in the Tranquility module after packing a trash container in Bishop on Wednesday. The container will be jettisoned outside Bishop towards Earth’s atmosphere for a fiery, but safe disposal on Saturday.

Today, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti set up the Microgravity Science Glovebox and serviced components for the Intelligent Glass Optics space physics study. The advanced experiment uses artificial intelligence to adapt Earth-bound manufacturing techniques for the space environment. Results may improve Earth- and space-based technologies such as communications, aerospace, and medicine.

International Space Station (ISS). Animation Credit: ESA

The orbiting lab’s three cosmonauts participated in a series of human research experiments today. Commander Oleg Artemyev attached sensors to himself to collect data about his cardiac activity while working in weightlessness. Flight Engineers Denis Matveev and Sergey Korsakov collected their blood and saliva samples for analysis to understand how the stresses of spaceflight, including radiation exposure and changes in sleep patterns, affect the human immune system.

Related links:

Expedition 67: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition67/index.html

XROOTS: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=8088

NanoRacks Bishop airlock: https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/spinoff/New_Doorway_to_Space

Tranquility module: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/tranquility/

Microgravity Science Glovebox: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=341

Intelligent Glass Optics: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=8383

Cardiac activity: https://www.energia.ru/en/iss/researches/human/11.html

Stresses of spaceflight: https://www.energia.ru/en/iss/researches/human/22.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

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

Best regards, Orbiter.ch

ISRO - PSLV-CA launches DS-EO, NeuSAR and SCOOB-I

 







ISRO - Indian Space Research Organisation logo.


June 30, 2022

PSLV-CA carrying DS-EO, NeuSAR and SCOOB-I liftoff

For ISRO’s PSLV-C53 mission, a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in “Core Alone” configuration (PSLV-CA) launched three satellites, DS-EO, NeuSAR and SCOOB-I, from the Second Launch Pad (SLP) of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota, India, on 30 June 2022, at 12:32 UTC (18:02 IST).

PSLV-CA launches DS-EO, NeuSAR and SCOOB-I

DS-EO (365 kg) carries an Electro-Optic, multi-spectral payload that will provide full color images for land classification, and serving humanitarian assistance and disaster relief needs.


NeuSAR (155 kg) has a SAR payload, which is capable of providing images in day and night and under all weather conditions. SCOOB-I (2.8 kg) is the first satellite in the Student Satellite Series (S3-I), from Singapore’s NTU School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO): https://www.isro.gov.in/

Images, Video, Text, Credits: Credits: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)/SciNews/Orbiter.ch Aerospace/Roland Berga.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

My Favorite Martian Image: ‘Enchanted’ Rocks at Jezero Crater

 







NASA - Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover logo.


June 30, 2022

Not even Obi-Wan Kenobi could convince Perseverance’s Katie Stack Morgan that these are not the rocks she’s looking for.


Image above: This image of the sedimentary rocks of Enchanted Lake was taken by one of the Perseverance rover's Hazard Avoidance Cameras (Hazcams) near the base of Jezero Crater's delta on April 30, 2022. Image Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

Ask any space explorer, and they’ll have a favorite photograph or two from their mission. For Katie Stack Morgan, the deputy project scientist for NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover, the first close-up image of layered rocks at the base of Jezero Crater’s ancient river delta holds a special place in her heart. The image of the “Enchanted Lake” rocky outcrop, informally named after a landmark in Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve, was taken by one of the rover’s Hazard Avoidance Cameras (Hazcams) on April 30, 2022.

A massive fan-shaped collection of rocks and sediment at the western edge of Jezero Crater, the delta formed at the convergence of a Martian river and a crater lake billions of years ago. Exploring this delta has been on Stack Morgan and the rest of the Perseverance science team’s wish list because they believe the location provides one of the mission’s best opportunities to find rocks that could have preserved remnants of ancient microbial life – a primary goal of the mission.

“Hazcam images are mainly used by the mission’s engineers to assist with driving and placement of the rover’s arm,” said Stack Morgan. “But when I saw the Hazcam image of Enchanted Lake, it was love at first sight. This image provided our first up-close glimpse of sedimentary rocks – the ones I’ve been most eager to explore since Jezero was named the landing site for Perseverance nearly four years ago.”

Rocks and Signs of Past Life

To best understand why this image of Perseverance’s first close encounter with a sedimentary rock is such a kick for Stack Morgan, it helps to go back to the beginning of the rover’s exploration of Mars. After Perseverance landed Feb. 18, 2021, on the flat, rocky plains that make up the floor of Jezero Crater, it spent more than a year studying outcrops, boulders, and regolith (broken rock and dust) in the area, gathering samples along the way.

One of the science team’s big takeaways from that effort: The rocks of the crater floor are igneous in origin, having formed billions of years ago from molten rock that cooled either underground or after volcanic eruptions. Igneous rocks can offer a great deal of information about the interior of Mars and the age of geologic features. What’s more, the team found evidence that the igneous rocks interacted with water and could have once hosted habitable microenvironments.

But, as Stack Morgan notes, the screaming-hot pressure-cooker conditions that produce igneous rocks don’t usually provide the optimal environment for preserving evidence of fossilized microscopic life. On the other hand, sedimentary rocks – like those that dominate the Jezero delta – provide an ideal site to look for signs of past life.

Over time, mud, silt, and sand brought into the lake that filled Jezero compressed and solidified into thin layers of sedimentary rock. If microscopic organisms were also present during sedimentary rock formation, they could have been captured within the layers, frozen in time as fossilized lifeforms.

Could Enchanted Lake’s layered rocks contain evidence that Mars once was home to microscopic life? Maybe. However, such a monumental determination will probably have to wait for the samples that Perseverance is gathering in special tubes to be brought to Earth and analyzed with powerful lab equipment too large to bring to Mars. And while NASA’s planned Mars Sample Return Campaign is scheduled to carry around 30 tubes back to Earth, NASA has to be selective about what goes inside them.

“Enchanted Lake was our first close encounter with sedimentary rocks in Jezero, but we’re going to do what rover missions do best – look around, drive, and then look some more. Even if we find other targets in the delta to sample, I will always have a special place in my heart for the rocks that showed me that we sent the rover to the right place,” Stack Morgan said.

Perseverance rover. Animation Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Perseverance is parked about halfway up the delta in a field of sedimentary rocks the science team calls “Hogwallow Flats.” Over the next several weeks, the rover will analyze – and perhaps sample – one or more rocks in the area. Then, the team will decide whether to return to Enchanted Lake or explore other exciting outcrops of the Jezero delta.

More About the Mission

A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith.

Subsequent NASA missions, in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency), would send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis.

The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASA’s Moon to Mars exploration approach, which includes Artemis missions to the Moon that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet.

JPL, which is managed for NASA by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover.

For more about Perseverance:

https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/ and http://www.nasa.gov/perseverance

Image (mentioned), Animation (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/Karen Fox/Alana Johnson/JPL/DC Agle.

Best regards, Orbiter.ch

SpaceX - Falcon 9 launches SES-22

 



SpaceX logo.


June 30, 2022

Falcon 9 carrying SES-22 liftoff

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the SES-22 communications satellite from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, on 29 June 2022, at 21:04 UTC (17:04 EDT).

Falcon 9 launches SES-22 and Falcon 9 first stage landing

Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage landed on the “A Shortfall of Gravitas” droneship, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. Falcon 9’s first stage (B1073) previously supported the launch of one Starlink mission.

Thales Alenia Space build the SES-22 and SES-23 satellites

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

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

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

NASA’s Stratospheric Balloon Mission Gets Telescope With Giant Mirror

 







NASA - Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) logo.


June 30, 2022

Telescopes designed to operate in space have to be constructed differently than those meant to operate on the ground. But what about telescopes that operate in between?


Image above: The ASTHROS mission's primary mirror is one of the largest to ever fly on a high-altitude balloon. The lightweight mirror is coated in gold and nickel to make it more reflective in far-infrared wavelengths. Image Credit: Media Lario.

An upcoming NASA mission will use a balloon larger than a football field to send a telescope 130,000 feet (about 40,000 meters) above Antarctica. From that height, the telescope will study a phenomenon that chokes off star formation in some galaxies, effectively killing them.

The mission, called the Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Spectral Resolution Observations at Submillimeter-wavelengths, or ASTHROS, will use a primary mirror (this telescope’s main light-gathering tool) that’s tied for the largest ever to fly on a high-altitude balloon. Construction of the 8.2-foot (2.5-meter) mirror wrapped up this month. Designing and building it proved challenging because of two key demands: The mirror and its support structure must be exceptionally light to travel by balloon, yet strong enough to keep the pull of Earth’s gravity from deforming its almost perfect parabolic shape by any more than about 0.0001 inches (2.5 micrometers) – a fraction of the width of a human hair.


Image above: The gold-colored ASTHROS mirror panels appear blurry to the naked eye, as seen at left. But when photographed with an infrared camera, as at right, the panel reflects a technician's image as clearly as if the person were looking in a mirror. Image Credit: Media Lario.

Managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, ASTHROS is set to launch no earlier than December 2023, circling the South Pole for up to four weeks. NASA’s Scientific Balloon Program, operated by the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, launches 10 to 15 balloon missions each year. These missions typically cost less than space missions and take less time to move from early planning to deployment, and they employ new technologies that can be used on future space missions.


Image above: The ASTHROS mirror is composed of nine panels, coated in nickel and gold. Here, engineers attach panels to the mirror's support structure. The panels must be aligned to within 0.0001 inches (2.5 micrometers), or a fraction of the width of a human hair. Image Credit: Media Lario.

High up in the stratosphere, ASTHROS will observe wavelengths of light that are blocked by Earth’s atmosphere, in a range called far-infrared. Its large mirror will enhance the telescope’s ability to observe fainter light sources and resolve finer details of those sources.


Image above: The cradle is the structure that supports the ASTHROS telescope's primary mirror and keeps the mirror panels aligned. Made from carbon fiber, it must be both lightweight and extremely rigid. Image Credit: Media Lario.

Those capabilities are essential to the mission’s approach to studying stellar feedback, the process by which clouds of gas and dust – the ingredients for making stars – are dispersed in galaxies, sometimes to the point that star formation halts entirely. Many processes contribute to feedback, including eruptions from living stars and the explosive deaths of massive stars as supernovae. ASTHROS will look at several star-forming regions in our galaxy where these processes take place, creating high-resolution 3D maps of the distribution and motion of gas. The mission will also look at distant galaxies containing millions of stars to see how feedback plays out at large scales and in different environments.


Image above: Lofted by a stratospheric balloon, as shown in this illustration, NASA’s ASTHROS mission may reach an altitude of 130,000 feet (40 kilometers). From that height, the telescope can detect wavelengths of light that are blocked by Earth’s atmosphere and cannot be observed from the ground. Image Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

“It’s difficult to explore feedback all the way from where it originates, at the scale of individual stars, to where it has an effect, on the scale of galaxies,” said Jorge Pineda, principal investigator for ASTHROS at JPL. “With a large mirror we can connect those two.”

Meeting the Challenge

NASA contracted Media Lario, an optics company in Italy, to design and produce ASTHROS’ full telescope unit, including a primary mirror, secondary mirror, and supporting structure (called the cradle). Media Lario previously developed a unique method for manufacturing lightweight infrared and optical telescope mirrors, which the company used to produce many of the panels for the primary mirrors of the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, a group of 66 ground-based telescopes in Chile.

The ASTHROS primary mirror features nine panels, which are significantly easier to fabricate than a one-piece mirror. The bulk of the mirror panels consist of lightweight aluminum, formed into a honeycomb structure that reduces its total mass. The panel surfaces are made of nickel and coated with gold, which improves the mirror’s reflectivity at far-infrared wavelengths.

Because the ASTHROS team won’t be able to fine-tune the alignment of the panels once the telescope lifts off, the cradle supporting the mirror needs to be lightweight yet exceptionally strong and rigid to prevent any deformation. Carbon fiber would do the trick. So, to build the cradle and other structural components, Media Lario turned to local companies in Italy that typically produce specialized structures for competitive racing boats and cars.

“I think this is probably the most complex telescope ever built for a high-altitude balloon mission,” said Jose Siles, the ASTHROS project manager at JPL. “We had specifications similar to a space telescope but on a tighter budget, schedule, and mass. We had to combine techniques from ground-based telescopes that observe in similar wavelengths with advanced manufacturing techniques used for professional racing sailboats. It’s pretty unique.”

Media Lario will deliver the full telescope unit to NASA in late July. After that, the ASTHROS team will integrate it with the gondola (the structure that holds the entire payload and attaches to the balloon) and other key components. Then they’ll begin a series of tests to ensure everything is ready for flight.

More About the Mission

A division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, JPL manages the ASTHROS mission for the Astrophysics Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. JPL is also building the mission’s scientific payload. The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, is developing the gondola and pointing systems. The payload cryocooler was developed by Lockheed Martin under NASA’s Advanced Cryocooler Technology Development Program. Other key partners include Arizona State University and the University of Miami. ASTHROS’ high-performance carbon fiber parts were produced by Persico Marine in Nembro, Italy, and Lamiflex S.p.A in Ponte Nossa, Italy.

NASA’s Scientific Balloon Program and its Columbia Science Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas, will provide the balloon and launch services.

ASTHROS will be launched from NASA’s Long Duration Balloon Facility in Antarctica, near McMurdo Station. The station is managed by the National Science Foundation through the U.S. Antarctic Program.

Related links:

NASA’s Scientific Balloon Program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPQ-tMoAHkY

ASTHROS: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/asthros

Images (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/JPL/Calla Cofield.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch