Missions Archives

September 26, 2007January 24, 2021 by Fraser Cain

Black Hole Mission Returns from the Dead

You can’t keep a good mission down. I guess you can. Actually, it seems like most good missions are kept down (Terrestrial Planet Finder, anyone?). But once, it looks like the good guys are going to win. A cool mission to search for black holes has been resurrected, and will fly in space after all. Wise move NASA, send a spacecraft to help solve one of the most puzzling mysteries in modern astronomy.

The mission is called the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR. NASA was originally planning this mission, capable of detecting nearby black holes with unprecedented sensitivity, but they decided to shelve it because of funding pressures back in 2006.

NuSTAR is part of NASA’s Explorers Program. These are low-cost, regular missions to help solve a specific challenge in astronomy. Previous missions include Swift (for tracking down gamma ray bursts), and GALEX (which performs ultraviolet astronomy). Another mission, WMAP, told us that the Universe is 13.7 billion years old.

If all goes well, NuSTAR will be launched in 2011, bridging the gap between the 2009 launch of the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, and the 2013 launch of the James Webb Space Telescope.

Once in space, it’ll perform deep observations in hard X-rays, searching for the telltale signature of black holes of various sizes and other exotic and extreme objects.

Bad Astronomer Phil Plait was actually involved with the program and gives a personal history about it here.

Original Source: NASA News Release

September 20, 2007December 26, 2015 by Fraser Cain

Carnegie Mellon’s New Prototype Lunar Rover

Consider this: there are two rovers crawling around the surface of Mars. Isn’t it strange that we don’t have anything similar on the surface of the Moon. I mean, come on, it’s so close. Well, researchers at Carnegie Mellon are working to fix this problem. They’ve been tasked by NASA to develop a prototype lunar rover. One which can travel in the low lunar gravity, and hang on tight when it needs to drill down beneath the lunar soil.

The prototype lunar rover is called “Scarab”, and it’s being built by the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science. Even though it’s being built to test out technologies designed for the surface of the Moon, this little rover will never make the trip. But its advances will be incorporated into future technologies for real missions.

Traveling around the Moon is going to be hard. Especially when you’re searching for water inside the perpetually darkened craters at the lunar southern pole. You’ve got regions of perpetual darkness at the lunar poles, where temperatures plunge to hundreds of degrees below zero. Instead of the traditional solar panels, Scarab will use a radioisotope source to generate energy.

It won’t get much power, though, probably less than the amount required to operate a 100-watt light bulb. This means that the rover will be operating in nearly complete darkness, relying on low-power, laser-based sensors. And it won’t be fast, crawling forward at only 10 cm/second (4 inch/s).

To be efficient, the rover must be light, but at the same time, it’ll need to have enough mass to let it operate as a drilling platform on the lunar surface. Engineers have calculated tat it needs to weigh at least 250 kg (550 pounds).

The researchers at Carnegie Mellon have been working on the rover since March, developing the structure and programming its software. They’re planning to do a field experiment near the end of the year, where the rover will drive and drill in total darkness.

They’ve also announced plans to enter the new Google Lunar X-Prize, offering $20 million to the first team to land a privately funded robotic rover on the Moon by 2012.

You can learn more about the rover, and see some videos of it in action at the Lunar Rover Initiative website.

Original Source: Carnegie Mellon News Release

September 20, 2007December 26, 2015 by Fraser Cain

Learning How to Stop Dangerous Asteroids

You know the cliche: it’s not a question of if an asteroid will strike the Earth, it’s a question of when. Why wait for the asteroid impact, let’s get out there and learn how to prevent an impact in the first place. Part of this learning process will be to study potential Earth-crossing asteroids in great detail. ESA has just such a mission in the works: Don Quijote.

There are several problems with asteroids. For starters, we don’t even know where they all are. But even when we discover their locations and plot out their orbits, it’s all game of probabilities. Over time, asteroids interact with other objects, and their orbits get changed in ways which are hard to predict. Not only that, but sunlight heats up asteroids in ways that can give them a tiny thrust, so they can change their orbits all on their own.

Astronomers are working hard to catalog all the asteroids out there; automated surveys should find most of the objects larger than 140 metres (460 feet) by about 2020. But plotting out their exact positions, and thus their future trajectories, is the hard part.

So Europe is planning to reach out and tag an asteroid. With a homing beacon, an asteroid will be much easier to track as it moves across the Solar System.

The mission is called Don Quijote, and it will work in two phases. The first phase will consist of an orbiter which will rendezvous with an asteroid and begin circling it. It will monitor the asteroid for several months, studying its size, shape, mass and gravity field.

In the second stage, an impactor spacecraft would slam into the asteroid at a speed of 10 km/s, which the first spacecraft watches – sort of like what happened with Deep Impact. The orbiter could then study the asteroid again, seeing what changed. Ground observers could also make precise measurements on the asteroid’s orbit and determine how its trajectory changed from the impact.

ESA doesn’t have a specific asteroid in mind, but they’re seriously considering a space rock called Apophis, which will come dangerously close to the Earth in the future.

If the mission is approved, it could launch early in the next decade, and take about 25 months to fly to its target. Maybe then we’ll get a much better handle on potentially dangerous asteroids, and learn everything we need to know to prevent them.

Original Source: ESA News Release

September 17, 2007December 26, 2015 by Nicholos Wethington

Japan’s Mission to the Moon Blasts Off

If you think the Americans are going to be dominating lunar exploration, think again. Many countries are considering our heavenly companion, helping to unlock its secrets. The next mission to head off is the Japanese lunar probe Kaguya, which blasted off from the Tanegashima space center at 10:31:01 Japan Standard Time (01:31:01 UTC) on September 14th – after an initial delay due to weather. The spacecraft is currently in Earth orbit, and will leave for the moon on October 3rd. It’ll start making scientific observations on October 21st.

Once near the moon, Kaguya will split into three satellites; a 3-ton main orbiter which will orbit the planet at an altitude of 100km, and the smaller Relay and VRAD Satellites, which will orbit and gather information about the poles.

There are three main goals for the mission:

Kaguya will be on the moon to study how it evolved and where it came from by looking at the topography and the abundance of elements in the lunar soil, and measuring the Moon’s gravity and weak magnetic field. Hopefully, it’ll help explain the question: was the Moon captured by the Earth, did it solidify out of the same material and at the same time as our planet, was it somehow fissioned or secreted by the Earth, or is the result of a massive collision by another object.

It’ll also study the plasma, energetic particles and electromagnetic field surrounding the Moon. This will be valuable information, when humans arrive back at the Moon, decide to colonize, or utilize it as a base for other operations. Unlike the Earth, the Moon has no strong magnetic field to shield the surface from harmful radiation from the Sun, and if we are to travel there it will be essential to know what kind of protection we will need to bring along. The polar orbiters will also scope out possible sites for an astronomical observatory on the surface.

Finally, the probes will turn their electromagnetic eyes towards our planet to study the plasma surrounding the Earth, and allow us to better understand how our own magnetosphere and ionosphere protect us from the deadly radiation of the solar wind. One of the neatest aspects of the Kaguya mission is its inclusion of a High Definition Television camera to send back movies of the Earth from the Moon. This means that we will be able to see the Earth-rise from the Moon’s horizon!

Kaguya is the start of exciting times for Earth’s satellite, and for the continued exploration of our solar system. The launch of Kaguya kicks off the International Lunar Decade, ten years of lunar exploration that will end when humans once again land on the Moon. The International Lunar Decade is a project of The Planetary Society to foster international cooperation in studying the moon and invigorate the public about space exploration. Other missions in the spirit of the project include China’s lunar orbiter, Chang’E, which is set to launch sometime in 2007, and India’s Chandrayaan-1 mission, scheduled to launch this month.

Source: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

September 12, 2007December 26, 2015 by Fraser Cain

Dawn is on the Launch Pad

Despite delays and near cancellation, NASA’s Dawn spacecraft is now on the launch pad, all ready to begin its mission to two of the largest asteroids in the Solar System. If all goes well, Dawn will blast off as early as September 26th from Cape Canaveral aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Next stop, Asteroid Vesta.

The Dawn spacecraft, fixed atop its Boeing Delta II launcher made the 25-km journey from Astrotech Space Operations to Pad-17B at Cape Canaveral on Tuesday. Before it launches on September 26th, engineers will perform a final test to simulate the launch – without rocket fuel, of course.

The September 26th launch window opens up at 7:25 am EDT, and stays open for 29 minutes. A similar window is available on following days until its launch period closes entirely on October 15th. It’s got to launch between those dates to have the right trajectory to complete its mission.

Dawn’s mission is to journey to, and orbit two separate asteroids in the Solar System: Ceres and Vesta. No other spacecraft has ever orbited two bodies after it’s left the Earth. Although they’re both asteroids, the two formed under different conditions in the early Solar System. So this single spacecraft will get able to orbit each in turn and study their chemical makeup and take detailed images of their surface.

Original Source: NASA/JPL News Release

August 22, 2007December 26, 2015 by Fraser Cain

Could Enceladus’ Plume Damage Cassini?

Enceladus has a remarkable secret, and scientists want to know more. Something is keeping the moon warm, and creating great plumes of water ice that spew out into the Saturnian system and even contribute to the rings. NASA is sending the Cassini spacecraft back in for another look in 2008; however, some engineers are concerned that the tiny particles might pose a risk to the spacecraft as it flies right through them.

On March 12th, 2008, Cassini is scheduled to pass only 100 km (62 miles) above the surface of Enceladus – a tremendous scientific opportunity. The spacecraft will give scientists an unprecedented look down onto the “tiger stripe” cracks around Enceladus’ southern pole, and the starfish shaped fissures that emanate away. This could be just the observations they need to finally solve the mystery: where’s all this water ice coming from?

But when Cassini passes this close to the planet, it’s going to be flying right through the plumes. Some scientists are worried that ice grains lofted by the jets will impact the spacecraft and damage its sensitive instruments.

Dr. Larry Esposito, one of the researchers working to understand the source of the plumes is presenting some of his research at the European Planetary Science Congress in Potsdam on Thursday 23rd August.

“These plumes were only discovered two years ago and we are just beginning to understand the mechanisms that cause them. A grain of ice or dust less than two millimetres across could cause significant damage to the Cassini spacecraft if it impacted with a sensitive area. We have used measurements taken with Cassini’s UVIS instrument during a flyby of Enceladus in 2005 to try and understand the shape and density of the plumes and the processes that are causing them.”

The size of the particles is key. Using Cassini’s Ultra-Violet Imaging Spectrograph, scientists were able to calculate the amount of water vapour present in the plumes. They were then able to simulate the speed and density of the particles flowing out of the plumes. This let them calculate the average size of the particles at the point where the plumes will be most dense during Cassini’s encounter in 2008.

While the average-sized particle was 1/1000th the size that would cause damage, Esposito is concerned that there could be larger particles lurking in there as well. It would take very high-pressure jets to loft particles this large, and so far, Esposito hasn’t found any. Right now, he’s estimating the chances for a hit to Cassini to be 1 in 500. Better measurements should give a more precise understanding of the risks involved.

How do you like those odds?

August 21, 2007December 26, 2015 by Fraser Cain

Details on Germany’s Lunar Exploration Orbiter

The Moon is going to be a busy place. NASA is sending the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in 2008, and will be sending humans back as early as 2020. Germany, a member of the European Space Agency, announced they’ll be getting in the lunar game too. Their recently announced Lunar Exploration Orbiter will be heading to the Moon in 2012, giving our satellite another satellite of its own.

The new details on the Lunar Exploration Orbiter were announced at the European Planetary Science Congress, which is being held this week in Potsdam.

The mission will consist of two spacecraft flying in formation, and taking simultaneous measurements of the lunar surface. As with NASA’s Stereo mission, targeted at the Sun, this twin vision will give scientists a true stereoscopic view of the Moon’s surface features. The Moon, in thrilling 3-D!

It will also be able to study the Moon’s magnetic and gravitational fields in 3 dimensions as well, both on the near side, and the far side of the Moon. The main satellite will weigh about 500 kg (1100 pounds), and the secondary satellite will only weigh about 150 kg (330 pounds), carrying duplicate magnetic and gravity instruments.

The main satellite carries a microwave radar that will allow it to peer beneath the lunar surface to a depth of several hundred metres. At maximum depths, it’ll be able to resolve structures two metres across, and within the top few metres, it’ll be able to resolve structures just a few millimetres across. This will help scientists track the distribution of rocks and particles, and help reveal the history of impacts.

LEO will create high resolution maps of the entire lunar surface in stereo and multispectral bands. The whole mission should last 4 years, so it will even be able to watch for new impacts, by looking for new craters and detecting impact events. That should be pretty impressive.

August 6, 2007December 26, 2015 by Fraser Cain

Phoenix Mars Lander Launches for the Red Planet

NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander blasted off early Saturday morning, beginning its mission to search for evidence of water, and maybe even life, on the Red Planet. If all goes well, the spacecraft will arrive at Mars on May 25, 2008, touching down in the planet’s polar region – roughly the same latitude as Northern Alaska here on Earth.

The Boeing Delta II rocket carrying the spacecraft lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base at 5:26 am EDT on Saturday, August 4th, 2007, roaring into the sky above the Florida’s Atlantic coast. 90 minutes later, the spacecraft detached from the 3rd stage of the rocket, right on target to take it to Mars. Ground controllers confirmed that they were able to communicate with the spacecraft at 7:02 am EDT.

Barry Goldstein, Phoenix project manager was very happy with the launch so far, “Our trajectory is still being evaluated in detail; however we are well within expected limits for a successful journey to the red planet. We are all thrilled!”

Next comes the testing, and the waiting. Over the next 9 months, the spacecraft will cross the 679 million kilometer (421 million mile) distance between Earth and Mars, entering the Red Planet’s atmosphere on May 25, 2008.

I’ve written a few articles about Phoenix, so I’ll just link you to one for more details on the mission. Here’s a story I did just a few days ago.

Original Source: NASA/JPL News Release

August 2, 2007December 26, 2015 by Fraser Cain

Detailed Gravity Maps of the Earth will be Coming Soon

How high is Mount Everest? Really high? Nearly 9,000 metres? Come on, be precise. Don’t worry if you can’t, even geographers can’t agree. In 1999, the mountain’s height was stated as 8,850 metres, and then a Chinese survey in 2005 calculated it to be 8,844.43. That might not sound like much of a difference, but for scientists, it’s just too much uncertainty. Good thing a new spacecraft will be launching soon to settle the question once and for all.

ESA’s gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) is scheduled to blast off in early 2008. This sensitive satellite will then measure the Earth’s gravity field and geoid with unparalleled precision.

What’s the geoid? That’s a measure of the Earth’s gravity field at every point across the planet. Imagine you were able to extend the oceans across the surface of the entire planet, perhaps by cutting canals across the continents. This is how geographers can measure the height of a point above sea level, even when you’re thousands of kilometres away from the nearest ocean.

The geoid isn’t flat. Instead, it rises and falls depending on the local gravity at that exact point. If you’re traveling across the ocean on ship, you don’t stay at the exact same distance from the Earth’s centre point. Instead it varies, depending upon where on Earth you are. Pass by the Hawaiian islands, and their mass will draw the water up, raising sea level. Not a lot – the total variation is less than 200 metres, compared to a perfect mathematical ellipsoid. As you can imagine, the shape of this geoid is important to scientists.

When GOCE launches, it’ll fly at an altitude of 260 km. Instead of a traditional satellite, it’s streamlined, with fins that keep it stable as it passes through the last remnants of the Earth’s atmosphere. It will measure the Earth’s gravity to within an accuracy of 1-2 cm. In other words, they should be able to provide an answer to the Everest height question, once and for all. Not to mention, an accurate altitude for every other spot on Earth.

Here are some additional stories on measuring the Earth’s gravity, with GOCE and the previously launched GRACE satellite.

Original Source: ESA News Release

July 31, 2007December 26, 2015 by Fraser Cain

Mars Phoenix Lander Launch Delayed

NASA announced today that they’re going to be postponing the launch of the Phoenix Mars Lander for 24 hours. It has two launch windows on Saturday, August 4th: 5:26 am EDT and 6:02 am EDT.

Mission planners decided on the delay because of a severe weather forecast around the Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday afternoon. This storm will delay the fueling of the Delta II rocket’s second stage, and so it pushed back the schedule for all the following activities.

Here’s more that I’ve written about the mission.

Original Source: NASA News Release