Cassini Images Terrain of Saturn's Moon Dione

NASA / ESA - Cassini International logo.

Feb. 18, 2014

The Wisps of Dione

Although the crack-like features seen here on Dione’s surface appear wispy and faded, they are in reality a series of geologically fresh fractures!

See PIA10560 to learn more about Dione's wispy terrain: http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA10560

Lit terrain seen here is on the trailing hemisphere of Dione. North on Dione (698 miles, or 1,123 kilometers across) is up and rotated 29 degrees to the left.  The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on Sept. 10, 2013.

The view was acquired at a distance of approximately 554,000 miles (892,000 kilometers) from Dione. Image scale is three miles (five kilometers) per pixel.

At Carthage Linea

Image above: Dione's icy surface is scarred by craters and sliced up by multiple generations of geologically-young bright fractures. Numerous fine, roughly-parallel linear grooves run across the terrain in the upper left corner. Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute.

Most of the craters seen here have bright walls and dark deposits of material on their floors. As on other Saturnian moons, rockslides on Dione (1,126 kilometers, or 700 miles across) may reveal cleaner ice, while the darker materials accumulate in areas of lower topography and lower slope (e.g. crater floors and the bases of scarps).

The terrain seen here is centered at 15.4 degrees north latitude, 330.3 degrees west longitude, in a region called Carthage Linea. North on Dione is up and rotated 50 degrees to the left.

The image was taken in visible green light with the Cassini narrow-angle camera on Oct. 11, 2005, at a distance of approximately 19,600 kilometers (12,200 miles) from Dione. The image scale is about 230 meters (760 feet) per pixel.

The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo.

For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org and http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Cassini-Huygens

Image (mentioned), Text, Credits: Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Space Science Institute.

Best regards, Orbiter.ch

Chandra Sees Pulsar Firing an Extraordinary Jet

NASA - Chandra X-ray Observatory patch.

Feb. 18, 2014

Image above: An extraordinary jet trailing behind a runaway pulsar is seen in this composite image that contains data from Chandra (purple), radio data from the ACTA (green), and optical data from the 2MASS survey (red, green, and blue). The pulsar and its tail are found in the lower right of this image. Image Credit: NASA/CXC/ISDC.

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has seen a fast-moving pulsar escaping from a supernova remnant while spewing out a record-breaking jet – the longest of any object in the Milky Way galaxy -- of high-energy particles.

The pulsar, a type of neutron star, is known as IGR J11014-6103. IGR J11014-6103's peculiar behavior can likely be traced back to its birth in the collapse and subsequent explosion of a massive star.

Originally discovered with the European Space Agency satellite INTEGRAL, the pulsar is located about 60 light-years away from the center of the supernova remnant SNR MSH 11-61A in the constellation of Carina. Its implied speed is between 2.5 million and 5 million mph, making it one of the fastest pulsars ever observed.

"We've never seen an object that moves this fast and also produces a jet," said Lucia Pavan of the University of Geneva in Switzerland and lead author of a paper published Tuesday,in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics. "By comparison, this jet is almost 10 times longer than the distance between the sun and our nearest star."

The X-ray jet in IGR J11014-6103 is the longest known in the Milky Way galaxy. In addition to its impressive span, it has a distinct corkscrew pattern that suggests the pulsar is wobbling like a spinning top.

IGR J11014-6103 also is producing a cocoon of high-energy particles that enshrouds and trails behind it in a comet-like tail. This structure, called a pulsar wind nebula, has been observed before, but the Chandra data show the long jet and the pulsar wind nebula are almost perpendicular to one another.

"We can see  this pulsar is moving directly away from the center of the supernova remnant based on the shape and direction of the pulsar wind nebula," said co-author Pol Bordas, from the University of Tuebingen in Germany. "The question is, why is the jet pointing off in this other direction?"

Usually, the spin axis and jets of a pulsar point in the same direction as they are moving, but IGR J11014-6103's spin axis and direction of motion are almost at right angles.

Chandra X-ray Observatory spacecraft. Image Credit: NASA/CXC

"With the pulsar moving one way and the jet going another, this gives us clues that exotic physics can occur when some stars collapse," said co-author Gerd Puehlhofer also of the University of Tuebingen..

One possibility requires an extremely fast rotation speed for the iron core of the star that exploded. A problem with this scenario is that such fast speeds are not commonly expected to be achievable.

The supernova remnant that gave birth to IGR J11014-6013 is elongated from top-right to bottom-left in the image roughly in line with the jet's direction. These features and the high speed of the pulsar are hints that jets could have been an important feature of the supernova explosion that formed it.

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., manages the Chandra program for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass., controls Chandra's science and flight operations.

For an additional interactive image, podcast, and video on the finding, visit: http://chandra.si.edu

For Chandra images, multimedia and related materials, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/chandra

Images (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA / J.D. Harrington / Chandra X-ray Center / Megan Watzke.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

Coronal Loops in an Active Region of the Sun

NASA - Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) patch.

Feb. 18, 2014

An active region of the sun just rotating into the view of NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory gives a profile view of coronal loops over about a two-day period, from Feb. 8-10, 2014. Coronal loops are found around sunspots and in active regions. These structures are associated with the closed magnetic field lines that connect magnetic regions on the solar surface. Many coronal loops last for days or weeks, but most change quite rapidly. This image was taken in extreme ultraviolet light.

Festooning Loops

For more information about Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sdo/main/

Image, Video, Text, Credits:  Credit: NASA/Solar Dynamics Observatory.

Cheers, Orbiter.ch

U.S. Cargo Ship Wraps First Station Resupply Mission

Orbital - Cygnus ISS Cargo Resupply Service patch.

Feb. 18, 2014

Image above: Orbital Sciences' Cygnus cargo craft moves away from the International Space Station's robotic arm shortly after its release. Image Credit: NASA TV.

Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Cygnus spacecraft, which delivered  nearly one-and-a-half tons of supplies and scientific equipment to the International Space Station in January, completed its first commercial cargo mission to the orbiting laboratory Tuesday.

Orbital Cygnus Spacecraft Departs from Space Station

NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins, with assistance from Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, used the station’s 57-foot Canadarm2 robotic arm to detach Cygnus from the Earth-facing port of the Harmony node at 5:15 a.m. EST.  While Wakata monitored data and kept in contact with the team at Houston’s Mission Control Center, Hopkins released Cygnus from the robotic arm at 6:41 a.m.

At the time of release, the station was orbiting about 260 miles over the southern Atlantic Ocean off the southeast coast of Argentina and Uruguay.

From their vantage point inside the station’s cupola observation deck, the two flight engineers monitored telemetry from Cygnus as the unpiloted resupply ship -- now loaded with trash -- conducted a 1-minute, 30-second departure burn to move a safe distance away from the station.

Image above: A monitor on the robotics workstation in the cupola provides the Expedition 38 crew with a view of Cygnus at the end of the International Space Station's robotic arm. Image Credit: NASA TV.

The U.S. commercial cargo craft will begin its deorbit sequence shortly after 8 a.m. Wednesday to enable it to slip out of orbit for a destructive entry into Earth's atmosphere. Cygnus will burn up over the Pacific Ocean later that afternoon.

During its first official commercial resupply mission, designated Orbital-1, Cygnus delivered 2,780 pounds of supplies to the space station, including vital science experiments for the Expedition 38 crew. Cygnus launched from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Jan. 9 aboard an Orbital Sciences Antares rocket and arrived at the complex Jan. 12.

Read more about the arrival of Cygnus: http://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.ch/2014/01/cygnus-arrives-at-station-on-orbital-1.html

Read more about Cygnus: http://www.nasa.gov/orbital

The departure of Cygnus clears the way for the arrival of Space Exploration Technologies’ Dragon cargo ship on its third commercial resupply mission, SpaceX-3.  Dragon is set to launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on March 16.

Read more about Dragon: http://www.nasa.gov/spacex

Images (mentioned), Video, Text, Credits: NASA / NASA TV.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

Sharp-eyed Proba-V works around the clock

ESA - Proba-V Mission logo.

18 February 2014

More than 5000 images, 65 daily global maps and six 10-day global syntheses, plus a quick peek at the Olympics: in its first two months of work, the vegetation-monitoring Proba-V minisatellite has yielded a valuable harvest for around a hundred scientific teams around the globe.

Measuring less than a cubic metre, Proba-V tracks vegetation growth across the world on a near-daily basis – 93% of the globe is covered in one day, 100% in two days – using its main wide-viewing Vegetation camera.

Launched last May, the satellite began its routine working life in early December.

Proba-V’s Olympic view

Scientists can use the Proba-V output with confidence, knowing they have been cross-calibrated with its predecessor, the Vegetation sensor on France’s Spot-5 satellite.

The new camera improves on Spot’s in one important respect: while the first-generation instrument images the world at 1 km resolution, Proba-V’s vision is much sharper.

It offers daily near-global coverage at 333 m resolution with a geolocation accuracy better than one pixel.

Proba-V

For the central 500 km of Proba-V’s 2250 km field of view the resolution is even sharper – about 100 m in the visible and near-infrared and some 200 m in the shortwave infrared. 

In fact, Proba-V’s excellent performance means global products with 100 m resolution are probably possible in the near future. A future 100 m-resolution Proba mission is now being studied.

100-m view of Brazilian coast

The output is processed for ESA by Belgium’s Flemish institute for technological research, VITO. “VITO has developed a processing chain for 100 m visible and near infrared syntheses,” explained Bart Deronde, its Proba-V operational manager.

“But before we go on to develop an operational product a thorough analysis needs to be made on the product quality – so we are asking interested research teams to contact VITO if they want to contribute to this effort, planned during the next six months.”

Commercial Vietnamese cousin

Proba-V is set to gain a commercial ‘cousin’ – the minisatellite’s Belgian builder, QinetiQ Space, has sold a comparable mission, including satellite and ground station, to Vietnam.

A Belgian consortium has signed a contract with the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology for a mission called VNREDSat-1B: Vietnam Natural Resources, Environment & Disaster Monitoring satellite.

This hyperspectral Earth observation mission, comparable in design to the Proba-V platform and elements of its payload, will be used for agricultural monitoring, including crop cultivation tracking and water management. 

Proba-V readied for launch

With a 100 km field of view to gather high-resolution hyperspectral and panchromatic imagery from its 640 km-altitude orbit, VNREDSat-1B will revisit any single point on Earth every five days.

Its predecessor was launched on the same Vega rocket as Proba-V, on 7 May 2013.

Mouth of Ganges at 100-m resolution

The contract comprises a total package for building and supply of a complete satellite infrastructure to Vietnam: this includes the satellite, test facilities, ground station and its operation for one year.

Other members of the consortium include space software specialist Spacebel, optomechanical manufacturer Amos, the Centre Spatial de Liège research centre and VITO, working on the user segment design.

Related links:

Proba-V data ready for use: http://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.ch/2013/12/proba-v-data-ready-for-use.html

VITO report on Proba-V activity: http://www.vito.be/VITO/EN/HomepageAdmin/Home/Nieuws/Nieuwsberichten/news_PROBAV_cruisingspeed.htm

VITO: http://www.vito.be/english/index.htm

QinetiQ Space: http://www.qinetiq.be/

Centre Spatial de Liège (CSL): http://www.csl.ulg.ac.be/

Spacebel: http://www.spacebel.be/

AMOS: http://www.amos.be/

Images, Text, Credits: ESA/VITO/ATG Medialab/CNES/Arianespace/Optique Video du CSG.

Cheers, Orbiter.ch

No F/A-18 outside office hours

Swiss Air Force patch.

February 17, 2014

Hijacking in Geneva

The aircraft Hijacked to Geneva airport was escorted by Italian and French fighters. The reason? The Swiss Air Force are available between 8am and 12am and from 13h30 to 17h.

The Ethiopian Airlines plane landed on the tarmac of the international airport of Geneva

Newly elected head of the Federal Department of Defence in 2008, Ueli Maurer had set an ambitious goal: "Making Swiss army the best in the world" to Federal Councillor, the first step was to establish to ensure that the military is ready to respond quickly. But six years after the election of Ueli Maurer at the head of the army, the reality on the ground seems far removed from these statements of intent. In 2014, the Swiss Air Force intervenes only during office hours, confirmed by Laurent Savary, spokesman Air Force Swiss Army to "20 minutes".

We note that we move from being "Best army in the world " to the "The world's most ridiculous Army", Well done, Ueli!

"The Ethiopian Airlines plane was not escorted by the Swiss fighters but has instead been accompanied by Italian and French aircrafts", said Laurent Savary. We have an electronic surveillance area at any time of day or night (correction: the monitoring system mentioned costed hundreds of milions but never worked, for "We have" we understand the NSA), but we do not have means of intervention 24 hours 24. Cooperation agreements were signed with neighboring countries. We are also currently planning a capacity for continuous intervention to respond to such emergencies. "The Department of Defense said on February 11 that the purchase of Gripen was necessary for such a service."

Swiss Air Force : F/A-18 available only during office hours...

This limitation of the interventions of the army during office hours is mainly due to financial issues: a call service and commitment of pilots would be required for operations at all times. Launched by the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport, the project Ilana should remedy this situation.

Regarding the purchase of the Gripen, the Swiss people will vote at the polls May 18, 2014 (direct democracy, not likely to win according to the polls). So in summary, airspace Switzerland is not guarded at night by our fighters... Swiss citizens sleep quiet ... Dixit your Defence Minister... In one of the richest country in the world that is unable to pay its own security.

Related articles:

Choice of a new fighter aircraft of the Swiss Air Force: Description and comparison: http://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.ch/2013/01/choice-of-new-fighter-aircraft-of-swiss.html

Swiss Air Force - The Gripen saga continues ...: http://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.ch/2013/02/swiss-air-force-gripen-saga-continues.html

Patrouille Suisse: a boss flies to the rescue: http://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.ch/2013/02/patrouille-suisse-boss-flies-to-rescue.html

The Patrouille Suisse will continue to exist: http://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.ch/2013/02/the-patrouille-suisse-will-continue-to.html

Images, Text, Credits: ATS / Swiss Air Force / Orbiter.ch Aerospace.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

High-energy cosmic rays from solar flares during the period from 10 December 2013 to 31 January 2014 according spectrometers Pamela & Arina

ROSCOSMOS logo.

17.02.2014

Twenty-fourth cycle of solar activity continues in the maximum phase is accompanied by new and powerful explosive processes (coronal mass ejections and flares), the consequence of which are injected into interplanetary space high-energy solar cosmic rays. In the period from 10 December 2013 to 31 January 2014 on the Sun, several things happened, two of which (6 and 7 January 2014) are the strongest reached the Earth since March 2013.

Spectrometers Pamela and Arina on board Resurs-DK1 working and continue to monitor the flow of charged cosmic radiation, including solar nature, in the near-Earth space.

Resurs-DK1spacecraft

Graphic bellow shows the time profiles of the intensity of protons in the energy range 45 ÷ 55 MeV (Arina) 100 ÷ 145 MeV, 400 MeV and 540 ÷ 1100 ÷ 1300 MeV (Pamela) of galactic and solar origin. Some days spectrometers fixed increase in the flux of solar protons over the background-dominant in the quiet period of solar activity galactic component. This is due to have taken place in the sun active explosive processes.

December 28, 2013 at 17:36 and January 7, 2014 at 18:24 observed coronal mass ejections and flares in active regions in 1936 and 1944 respectively (times are indicated by arrows in the figure). Because outbreaks have been observed in X-rays, their power is defined and assigned to a class (indicated by arrows on the right). Two other increase in the flux of protons December 26, 2013 and January 6, 2014, as indicated by arrows, but because the X-rays at this time of intense flares were found, their class is not defined. Apparently, January 6 powerful outbreak occurred in 1936, which was at that time on the western edge of the solar disk.

Graphic above: Time profiles of proton fluxes of galactic and solar origin in the period from 10 December 2013 to 31 January 2014.

According to observations spectrometers Pamela and Arina found that in a flash January 6 maximum energy of accelerated protons reached 1 GeV (from the beginning of observations in 1942 such events registered only 72). In the subsequent outbreak January 7 protons were accelerated to an energy of ~ 600 MeV. Helium nuclei and other particles in the solar cosmic rays found.

ROSCOSMOS Press Release: http://www.federalspace.ru/20236/

Image, Graphic, Text, Credits: Roscosmos press service / ROSCOSMOS / Translation: Orbiter.ch Aerospace.

Best regards, Orbiter.ch