2017年5月31日 星期三

Shadowrise and Sunset


The road tracking through this stunning 360 degree view crosses a remote mountain area of Jämtland, Sweden, planet Earth. A 3x8 mosaic of still images, the panorama was taken on May 3rd from a small drone 200 meters above the ground. The scene records the warm light of the Sun setting in the northwest and the planet's dark shadow rising in the southeast. A small sun pillar gives away the Sun's position just below the horizon while the pinkish anti-twilight arch or belt of Venus outlines Earth's shadow. In the middle of the remarkably clear sky, the First Quarter Moon is visible above the mountains, its half illuminated disk separating sunset and shadowrise. A range of exposures were combined to cover the difference in sky brightness for sunset and Earth shadow. The tallest peak left of the sunset is Storsnasen, some 1400 meters above sea level. via NASA http://ift.tt/2smc7db

NASA TV Coverage Set for Return of Two Space Station Crew Members

Two crew members on the International Space Station are scheduled to depart the orbital outpost Friday, June 2. Coverage of their departure and return to Earth will air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website beginning Thursday, June 1, with the space station change of command ceremony.

May 31, 2017
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Stratolaunch Rolls Megaplane Out For A Peek

Paul Allen's Stratolaunch Systems brings monster plane out of hangar for first time, Geekwire

"Stratolaunch CEO Jean Floyd said the plane's emergence from its hangar at California's Mojave Air and Space Port was part of a "major milestone in its journey toward providing convenient, reliable and routine access to low Earth orbit." The plane is designed to carry up to three Orbital ATK Pegasus XL rockets at a time into the air, and then set them loose to launch payloads into orbit. .. Stratolaunch says the first launch demonstration, involving a single Pegasus XL, will take place as early as 2019."

Keith's note: So ... when will they announce that they have found a commercially viable reason to launch Dream Chaser?



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'Gov' Okoloise

"Governor A. Okoloise passed away on Sunday, May 21, 2017 at age 49. His family came to America from Nigeria when he was a boy. Gov, as we called him, worked at Johnson Space Center for the past 24 years. A dedicated space worker, he certified space life sciences and exercise hardware throughout the 90s. Most recently, he was responsible for the design, assembly and safety of the EMU Space suit and hardware used during ISS space walks (EVA). He was a congenial and personable friend to everyone, going out of his way to help others as much as possible."



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Space Station's View of Florida at Night


Expedition 51 Flight Engineer Thomas Pesquet captured this nighttime photo of Florida from the International Space Station. Bright lights include the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area, and Orlando, with Cape Canaveral to the east, where launch preparations for SpaceX's next cargo mission are underway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. via NASA http://ift.tt/2rkVCyQ

Parker Solar Probe: NASA renames upcoming mission to touch the Sun

Jason DavisMay 31, 2017

Parker Solar Probe: NASA renames upcoming mission to touch the Sun

Fourteen months from today, NASA plans to launch a spacecraft into the Sun.

On July 31, 2018, a 20-day launch window opens for the Parker Solar Probe, a mission advertised as humanity's first visit to a star. The spacecraft will lap the Sun 24 times as it helps scientists unravel longstanding questions about what goes on inside our star's outer atmosphere, a region called the corona extending millions of kilometers into space. To do so, Parker Solar Probe will dive through the corona itself, eventually buzzing the Sun's surface by 5.9 million kilometers. That's just an eighth of the distance between the Sun and Mercury at the planet's closest approach.

The mission was previously named Solar Probe Plus. But during an announcement today at the University of Chicago, NASA associate administrator Thomas Zurbuchen said the spacecraft's moniker would be changed to honor Eugene Parker, the scientist who predicted the existence of the solar wind more than 50 years ago.

"NASA has named about 20 spacecraft after distinguished researchers, like Hubble, Chandrasekhar and Fermi," Zurbuchen said. "However, NASA has never named a spacecraft after a researcher during their lifetime."

Parker, who turns 90 next month, was on hand to accept the honor.

"I'm certainly greatly honored to be associated with such a heroic, scientific, space mission, Parker said. "By heroic, of course, I'm referring to the temperature—the thermal radiation from the Sun, and the extreme measures developed to survive that radiation and collect scientific data."

Solar Probe Plus

JHUAPL

Solar Probe Plus

The Sun's atmosphere is weird

Intuitively, we humans know that the closer we get to a heat source, the hotter we get.

The Sun's atmosphere, however, doesn't quite work this way. Scientists call this phenomenon the coronal heating problem.

The surface, called the photosphere, has a temperature of about 6,000 degrees Kelvin. This is where sunspots appear—the dark blobs you can see through a solar telescope.

Next comes the chromosphere. Here, the temperature increases from 6,000 to 20,000 degrees Kelvin in a distance of less than 2,000 kilometers. This is where solar prominences—those massive, looping strands of burning gas—get their start.

Finally, there's the corona, the long, wavy region extending millions of kilometers into space, which you can see during a solar eclipse. The temperature here climbs over a million degrees. This is also where the solar wind—made of high-energy particles responsible for auroras and finicky satellite behavior—blasts away from the Sun at 400 kilometers per hour.

Solar scientists don't quite understand all the mechanisms at play in the corona. How does it get so hot? And what causes the solar wind there to erupt here with such ferocity? These are the questions Parker Solar Probe will try to help answer, by making direct, death-defying measurements of the corona for the first time ever.

The spacecraft

Parker Solar Probe is designed, built and operated by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. 

The spacecraft weighs 685 kilograms fully fueled, and consists of an instrument deck and large carbon composite heat shield. The 11.5-centimeter-thick heat shield will protect Parker Solar Probe from the 1,700-degree-Kelvin temperatures it will encounter during its coronal dives, keeping the bulk of the spacecraft at room temperature.

Parker Solar Probe instrument suite

JHUAPL

Parker Solar Probe instrument suite

Two views of the Solar Probe Plus spacecraft, and its instrument suite.

There are four science instruments

FIELDS, University of California, Berkeley

FIELDS is a set of antennas and magnetometers designed to measure electric and magnetic fields. There are four antennas extending out away from the heat shield, and two magnetometers dangling off the back of the spacecraft.

IS☉IS, Southwest Research Institute / Princeton University

The IS☉IS experiment has the fanciest acronym. It stands for Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun, and that little circled dot is the astronomical symbol for our Sun. (The unicode symbol for this character, if you're wondering, is 2609.)

IS☉IS is bolted to the side of the spacecraft, behind the heat shield, and measures high-energy electrons, protons and heavy ions streaming from the sun.

WISPR, Naval Research Laboratory

WISPR, the Wide-field Imager for Solar PRobe, is a set of two telescopes used to image the corona, inner heliosphere, and solar wind. The instrument is mounted behind the heat shield.

SWEAP, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory / University of Michigan

SWEAP stands for the Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons investigation. It is actually three instruments—one of which pokes out from behind the heat shield—used to count electrons, protons and helium ions, and measure their velocities, densities and temperatures.

The need for speed

Earth orbits the Sun at a speed of about 30 kilometers per second. To spiral inward towards the Sun, Parker Solar Probe will have to cancel some of that momentum, which requires a big change in velocity, and a big rocket—the United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy.

To escape Earth's gravitational pull, you need a relative velocity of about 11.2 kilometers per second. New Horizons, the current escape velocity champion, left for Pluto traveling 16 kilometers per second. Parker Solar Probe's escape velocity won't top that of New Horizons—it will only be as high as 12.4 kilometers per second, depending on when in the 20-day window the mission launches.

In terms of speed relative to the Sun, Parker Solar Probe will set some records. The Helios I and II probes reached sun-centric speeds of more than 70 kilometers per hour. At closest approach, Parker Solar Probe will almost triple that velocity, hauling through the corona at about 200 kilometers per hour.

The spacecraft will fly around the Sun in an elliptical orbit, picking up tremendous amounts of speed during close approaches, which last about 11 days. The remainder of the orbits will vary between 77 and 158 days. Here's a handy diagram:

Parker Solar Probe mission design

JHUAPL

Parker Solar Probe mission design

Twenty-four orbits are planned. During seven of those (including the first), Parker Solar Probe will swing past Venus to refine its trajectory. The mission design is similar to that of Cassini, which uses an elliptical orbit and occasional gravity assists from Titan. Parker Solar Probe, if successful, will operate for 6 years and 11 months, ending its mission in 2025.

MER
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Reusing Old Dragons

SpaceX set to join rare company by re-flying an orbital spacecraft, Ars Technica

"Although the company has never placed a hard dollar value on the Dragon, the savings could be considerable. SpaceX received a contract worth $1.6 billion from NASA for 12 cargo supply missions to the station in 2008--about $130 million per flight. That would have included the cost of the booster, of course, so therefore an individual Dragon spacecraft is likely valued at between $20 million to $60 million."



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ISS Daily Summary Report – 5/30/2017

Human Research Program (HRP): A 49S crewmember collected Return minus 15 days (R-15) blood and urine samples for Vascular Echo, Biochem Profile, and Marrow investigations as well as air samples for Marrow and ultrasound measurements for Vascular Echo.  The Vascular Echo investigation examines changes in blood vessels and the heart while crew members are in space, then follows their recovery when they return to Earth. The results could provide insight into potential countermeasures to help maintain crewmembers’ health.  A new, powerful, relatively easy to use ultrasound system will be used that could provide new opportunities for experimentation aboard the ISS.  In the field of telemedicine on Earth, such tele-operated scanners could result in progress in the medical management of persons in remote areas. The Biochem Profile experiment tests blood and urine samples obtained from astronauts before, during and after spaceflight.  Specific proteins and chemicals in the samples are used as biomarkers, or indicators of health. Post-flight analysis yields a database of samples and test results which scientists can use in their study of the effects of spaceflight on the body. The Marrow investigation identifies the effect of microgravity on bone marrow.  It is believed that microgravity, like long-duration bed rest on Earth, has a negative effect on blood cell production in bone marrow. Group Combustion Module (GCM):  The crew exchanged fuel supply syringes and reinstalled the Combustion Chamber back in MSPR Work Volume for continued GCM operations. The Group Combustion investigation tests combustion changes of fuel sprays as flames spread across a cloud of droplets. In the MSPR, fuels are arranged randomly on thin-fiber lattice points and the flame and droplet positions and temperature distribution are measured as the flame spreads.  Microgravity blocks convection, which on Earth would quickly disperse the droplets and combustion products before such measurements could be made.  NanoRack Cubesat Deployer (NRCSD) #12: The crew brought the JEM (Japanese Experiment Module) Airlock (JEMAL) Slide Table (ST) into the JEM and remove the NRCSD #12 Quad Deployer from the Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform (MPEP). This activity is in preparation for the installation of Japanese Small Satellite Orbital Deployer #7 (J-SSOD #7) installation on the ST planned for June 16, 2017. Veg-03: The crew completed the final harvest of leaves for crew consumption from Chinese Cabbage growing in the Veggie facility. They also placed VEG-03 plant samples, swabs, and water syringes into a Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) for return to the ground and cleaned the Veggie facility.  The goal of Veg-03 is to further demonstrate the proof of concept for the Veggie plant growth chamber and planting pillows. Future long-duration missions into the solar system will require a fresh food supply to supplement crew diets, which entails growing crops in space. Previous investigations focused on improving productivity in controlled environments but the limited quarters of the space shuttle and ISS made it difficult to conduct large-scale crop production tests. Veg-03 expands on previous validation tests of the Veggie hardware to grow cabbage, lettuce and other fresh vegetables. Tests determine which types of microorganisms are present in space-grown cabbage, providing baseline data for future crop-growing efforts. Behavioral health surveys assess the impact of growing plants on crew morale and mood. On-Board Training (OBT) Health Maintenance System (HMS):  FE-2 performed refresher training for the HMS which is a subsystem of Crew Health Care System (CHeCS) that monitors crew health, responds to crew illness and/or injury, and provides preventive health care. These lessons provide a refresher course and cover some of the equipment and procedures that are taught in the Crew Medical Officer (CMO) classes. Today’s Planned Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. HRF Generic Saliva Collection HRF Generic Sample MELFI Retrieval Insertion Operations HRF Generic Urine Collection HRF Generic Sample MELFI Insertion Operations HRF Generic Frozen Blood Collection Double Spin Collection Checking the Results of Antivirus Scanning on Auxiliary Computer System [ВКС] Laptops and Report to MCC Ultrasound 2 HRF Rack 1 Power On HRF Generic Refrigerated Centrifuge Double Spin Configuration 2 Transfer from CWC-I into EDV HRF Generic Sample MELFI Insertion NanoRacks Module 52 Troubleshooting Placeholder Video Recording of Greetings HRF Generic Refrigerated Centrifuge Spin Conclude HRF Generic Sample MELFI Insertion Meteor Shutter Open JPM Fwd Window Shutter Open Transfer from CWC-I into EDV EHS TOCA Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis HRF Generic Frozen Blood Collection Conclude Stow Crew Medical Officer (CMO) On Board Training (OBT) R&R of Three Light Units in СД1-7 in MRM1 Soyuz 733 GoPro HERO3 (6 ea.) Charging HRF Generic Urine Collection Stow Air Samples Collection with [АК-1М] Sampler in the SM and FGB Vascular Echo Resting Ultrasound Scan 135 Minutes – Subject Glacier Express Rack Remove Air Samples Collection for Ammonia with [ИПД] Sampler in the SM LBNP Training EXPRESS Rack 6 Locker Removal ISS Locker Config MAMS Data Port Swap MSPR Group Combustion Module (GCM) Component Activation Prep Time for Return to Earth Change of Display Settings on RSE-Med and RSE-2 Laptops RFID Logistics Reader Vascular Echo CDL Holter Arterial BP Measurement – Subject CALCIUM. Photography of Bioekologiya Cases, Photographs Processing and Downlink, Preparation for Return to Earth Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) Combustion Chamber (CC) Valve 2 Operation Soyuz 733 GoPro HERO3 (6 ea.) Charging (end) Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) Combustion Chamber (CC) GN2 Exhaust part 1 in Leak Permissible experiment RGN Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill Public Affairs Office (PAO) High Definition (HD) Config Columbus Setup Health Maintenance System (HMS) – OCT Exam EDV (KOV) Filling (Degassing) for Elektron or EDV-SV Packing of Items for Disposal in Soyuz 733 Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT Stow JEM Airlock Press Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) Combustion Chamber (CC) GN2 Exhaust part 2 in Leak Permissible experiment Vascular Echo Exercise PDOP Measurement – Subject JEM Airlock Leak Check MAMS Cable Swap Photo/TV. Checking Camcorder Settings JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Extension to JPM Side NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer Removal from the MPEP VZAIMODEISTVIYE-2. Experiment […]

May 31, 2017 at 12:00AM
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2017年5月30日 星期二

Dawn Journal: Adaptations

Marc RaymanMay 30, 2017

Dawn Journal: Adaptations

Dawn’t Be Despondawnt, Dear Readers,

On the other side of the solar system, invisible by virtue both of the blinding glare of the sun and by the vastness of the distance, Dawn is continuing its remarkable cosmic adventure. Orbiting high above dwarf planet Ceres, the spacecraft is healthy and performing all of its assignments successfully even when confronted with what appears to be adversity.

In the last four Dawn Journals, we described the ambitious plans to maneuver the craft so it would cross the line from the sun to Ceres on April 29 and take pictures plus infrared and visible spectra from that special perspective. With Dawn between the sun and Ceres, the alignment is known as opposition, because from the spacecraft’s point of view, Ceres is opposite the sun.

As explained in March, those opposition measurements may provide clues to the nature of the material on the ground with much greater detail than the camera or other sensors could ever discern from orbit. The veteran explorer carried out its complex tasks admirably, and scientists are overjoyed with the quality of the data.

Ceres on April 29, 2017

NASA / JPL-Caltech / UCLA / MPS / DLR / IDA

Ceres on April 29, 2017

On April 29, Dawn watched a fully illuminated Ceres rotating on its axis for a little more than three hours. (One Cerean day, the time to complete one full rotation, is nine hours. Because Ceres turns faster than Earth, this movie spans what would be the equivalent of nearly nine hours of Earth rotation.) The spacecraft was about 12,000 miles (20,000 kilometers) high when it witnessed this scenery at opposition. Cerealia Facula and Vinalia Faculae in

Occator Crater

look like a pair of bright beacons casting their reflected sunlight back into the cosmos. Occator is on

this map

at 20°N, 239°E, and you can use it as a reference to identify other features. It is worth noting that Ceres appears somewhat washed out here compared to all the pictures we have seen of it, despite a slight enhancement of the contrast. The reason is that we are looking along the same direction as the incoming light, so shadows have mostly disappeared. This phenomenon is known as

shadow hiding

. With nearly uniform illumination and no shadows visible, the principal variations in how bright or dark Ceres appears are a result of intrinsic differences in the material on the ground, such as composition or texture. (Differences are more evident in the color picture below.)

Full movie and caption

.

The flight team had worked out a plan to provide a backup opportunity to study Ceres at opposition on June 28. The results of the April 29 observations are so good, however, that the backup was deemed unnecessary and so has been canceled. In this phase of Dawn’s mission, the highest priority continues to be recording cosmic rays so scientists can improve their measurements of the atomic constituents down to about a yard (meter) underground.

Dawn’s latest success followed less than a week after what might have seemed to some people to be a very serious problem. Indeed, in other circumstances, it could have been devastating to the mission. Fortunately, the expert team piloting this spaceship was well prepared to steer clear of any dire scenarios.

On April 23, reaction wheel #1 failed. This was Dawn’s third incident of losing a reaction wheel. (In full disclosure, the units aren’t actually lost. We know precisely where they are. But given that they stopped functioning, they might as well be elsewhere in the universe; they don’t do Dawn any good.) Reaction wheels are disks that spin to help control the orientation of the spacecraft, somewhat like gyroscopes. By electrically changing a wheel’s speed (as high as 75 revolutions per second), the spacecraft can turn or hold steady.

We have discussed Dawn’s reaction wheels many times, and reaction wheel enthusiasts are encouraged to review the detailed history by rereading the last 275,000 words posted. But because this is the last time we will ever need to discuss them, we will summarize the entire story to its conclusion here.

Enhanced color view of Ceres at opposition

NASA / JPL-Caltech / UCLA / MPS / DLR / IDA

Enhanced color view of Ceres at opposition

This view of Ceres at opposition is made from pictures Dawn took on April 29 from an altitude of about 12,000 miles (20,000 kilometers) with the color filters in its primary camera. (The color pictures from the backup camera are essentially the same.) The colors are enhanced to bring out subtle differences in the composition or texture our eyes would not detect. Bluish material tends to be younger. (We saw that 

here

 as well.) As in the rotation movie above, Occator Crater is the most salient feature, and you can use its location at 20°N, 239°E as a reference on 

this map

 to find other sites. Notice that the bright crater is adjacent to an unusually dark area. The dark material was excavated and ejected when Occator formed by the powerful impact of an asteroid. 

Full image and caption

.

The wheels do not help propel Dawn through space. The ion propulsion system does that (and, by the way, does it amazingly well). The wheels are used to rotate the spacecraft around its three axes, which can be called pitch, roll and yaw; xy and z; left-right, front-back and up-down; Kirk, Spock and McCoy; animal, vegetable and mineral; or many other names. Regardless of the designations, three wheels are needed because there are three dimensions of space. Always conservative, designers equipped Dawn with four wheels. On a nearly decade-long interplanetary odyssey to well over one million times farther from Earth than astronauts can travel, the probe was designed with enough spare hardware to tolerate the loss of almost any component, including a reaction wheel. (The spacecraft is also outfitted with a backup radio receiver, radio transmitter, central computer, ion engine, camera, heaters, valves and on and on.)

One reaction wheel failed in June 2010, about a year before Dawn arrived at its first destination, Vesta, the second largest body orbiting the sun between Mars and Jupiter. A second one failed in August 2012 as Dawn was escaping from Vesta, having far surpassed its objectives in exploring the protoplanet. (That second failure is so long ago, that now, for half of its time in space, Dawn has not had three operable wheels, despite the intent of its cautious designers.)

The flight team was able to overcome the loss of the two reaction wheels, even though that had never been planned for (nor even considered) when the spacecraft was being designed and built. It required not only a great deal of work but also exceptional ingenuity and diligence. That heroic effort paid off very handsomely in allowing the spacecraft to continue its ambitious deep-space expedition, trekking for 2.5 years from Vesta to Ceres and then conducting a comprehensive study of that dwarf planet, the first one humankind had ever seen. Dawn exceeded all of its goals and successfully concluded its prime mission in June 2016. And even with the malfunctions of two reaction wheels, the team kept the spacecraft so healthy and productive that it is now conducting an extended mission, gathering even more riches at Ceres.

There was no basis for predicting when another wheel would fail, but it was widely considered to be only a matter of time. Because the four wheels are of the same design, and some had failed on other spacecraft as well, confidence that the two remaining wheels would function for long was low. Indeed, your faithful correspondent, in his technical role on Dawn, occasionally referred to the "two failed wheels and two doomed wheels."

When the spacecraft reported on April 24 that another wheel had failed, no one on the team was very surprised. In fact, the biggest surprise was that the two doomed wheels had continued to operate as long as they did after the other two stopped.

South polar region of Ceres

NASA / JPL-Caltech / UCLA / MPS / DLR / IDA

South polar region of Ceres

Dawn had this view on May 16 from an altitude of 26,400 miles (42,500 kilometers). Most of the terrain beneath the orbiting spacecraft was on the night side of the dwarf planet, leaving only a narrow crescent illuminated. To get an idea of where Dawn was relative to Ceres and the sun, look at 

this figure

. The large green ellipse is the current orbit, which Dawn flew to in order to observe Ceres at opposition on April 29. Orbiting clockwise, the spacecraft was at about the 4:00 position from Ceres (remember, the sun is on the left in that figure) when it captured this scene. Dawn took this and similar pictures to help navigators refine their measurements of its orbital position, as explained 

here

 and below. Visible at the left is Zadeni Crater. Zadeni is 80 miles (128 kilometers) in diameter and is on 

this map

 at 70°S, 39°E. (Zadeni is thought to have been a god of fruitfulness for the ancient Georgians, but the details are murky because that information is based on medieval records.) The larger crater on the right is Urvara, which we have seen a number of times from different altitudes, most recently 

last month

. (If you try to compare the craters’ positions on the map with this scene, the perspective here deep in the southern hemisphere may prove a bit confusing.) An earlier photo of Zadeni from a lower altitude is below, and another May 16 navigation photo is below that. 

Full image and caption

.

The strategy for recovering from each of the two earlier failures and preparing for another was complex and multifaceted. Let’s recall just a few aspects.

Dawn carries a small supply of conventional rocket propellant called hydrazine, expelled from small jets of the reaction control system. (Yes, Dawn has a full set of backup jets.) The reaction wheels occasionally need a little bit of hydrazine help, and that is why the reaction control system is onboard. (For propulsion, it is far less efficient than the ion propulsion system, and Dawn has never used hydrazine for that purpose.) In principle, the reaction control system could do the job of the reaction wheels, but that would require a great deal more hydrazine than Dawn carried when it left Earth. Indeed, the reason for reaction wheels is that they control the orientation for much less mass. Well, to be more precise, they control the orientation when they work. When they fail, they don’t do as well. The flight team invested a tremendous effort in stretching the hydrazine so it could be used in place of the wheels, and that has proven to be extremely successful. In fact, Dawn arrived at Ceres ready to complete its mission here with zero wheels in case a third wheel was on the verge of failing.

The amount of hydrazine Dawn uses depends on its activities. Whenever it fires an ion engine, the engine controls two of the three axes, significantly reducing the consumption of hydrazine. In orbit around Vesta and Ceres, the probe often trains its sensors on the alien landscapes beneath it. The lower the orbital altitude, the faster the orbital velocity, so Dawn needs to turn faster to keep the ground in its sights. Also, the gravitational attraction of these massive worlds tends to tug on the unusually large solar arrays in a way that would turn the ship in an unwanted direction. (For more on this, see here.) That force is stronger at lower altitude, so Dawn needs to work harder to counter it. The consequence is that Dawn uses more hydrazine in orbit around Vesta and Ceres than when it is journeying between worlds, orbiting the sun and maneuvering with its ion engine. And it uses more hydrazine in lower orbits than in higher ones. Following the first reaction wheel problem, mission controllers decided to hold the wheels in reserve for the times that they would be most valuable in offsetting hydrazine use.

Zadeni Crater, Ceres

NASA / JPL-Caltech / UCLA / MPS / DLR / IDA

Zadeni Crater, Ceres

Dawn snapped this picture of Zadeni Crater at an altitude of 920 miles (1,480 kilometers) on Oct. 18, 2016. Dawn was in its 

second extended mission orbit

 then. We saw Zadeni higher up (both in altitude and in this Dawn Journal), but here it fills the frame. As we discussed 

here

, the many craters on and in Zadeni indicate it is relatively old. 

Full image and caption

.

From August 2010 to May 2011, the spacecraft flew with the one failed wheel and the three healthy (but doomed) wheels all turned off. As it approached Vesta, controllers reactivated the three wheels, and they served well for almost all of Dawn’s work there. The second malfunction occurred in August 2012 as Dawn was ascending on its departure spiral, and the spacecraft correctly deactivated all of them and reverted to hydrazine control even before radioing the news to distant Earth. The wheels had been scheduled to be turned off again shortly after Dawn pulled free of Vesta, so the team decided to leave them off then and complete the escape without reaction wheels. They were not used again (except for four brief periods) until 1.2 billion miles (1.9 billion kilometers) later, in December 2015, when Dawn reached its lowest altitude orbit around Ceres.

At Ceres, of course, only two reaction wheels were operable, and Dawn was not designed to use fewer than three. But the day after the first reaction wheel problem occurred in 2010, engineers at JPL and Orbital ATK (back then, it was Orbital Sciences Corporation) began preparing for another failure. They started working on a method to control the orientation with two wheels plus hydrazine, a combination known as hybrid control. That would consume less hydrazine than using no wheels, although more than if three wheels were available. Following an unusually rapid development of such complex software for a probe in deep space, the team installed the new capability in Dawn’s central computer in April 2011, shortly before Vesta operations began. That software performed flawlessly from December 2015 until the third reaction wheel failed last month.

The team determined in 2010 that the benefits of operating the spacecraft with only one wheel would not justify the investment of effort required. So now that three have failed, the last operable wheel is turned off, and it will never be used again. But as we saw above, the team has a great deal of experience flying Dawn with no wheels at all. They had piloted the ship in that configuration through the solar system and around Ceres for a total of four years, so they were well prepared to continue.

Crescent Ceres

NASA / JPL-Caltech / UCLA / MPS / DLR / IDA

Crescent Ceres

Dawn took this navigational photograph on May 16 from an altitude of 26,400 miles (42,600 kilometers). We’ll get to the real importance in a moment, but let’s cover the technical details first. This picture was taken 20 minutes after the one above. The perspective is nearly identical, but Ceres has rotated so scenery has shifted slightly. (As we discussed with the movie above, 20 minutes on Ceres would be the equivalent of 53 minutes of Earth rotation.) In the time between these two pictures, Dawn progressed 24 miles (39 kilometers) in its slow, high orbit. (Some readers may have noted that the altitude at the beginning of this caption differs by 100 kilometers from the altitude given for the previous navigation image. This writer rounds the values to the nearest multiple of 100.) With their accurate maps constructed from Dawn’s earlier observations, navigators analyzed the precise location of landmarks in each picture to help establish where Dawn was at the moment the photo was taken. They then plotted Dawn’s successive positions to refine their knowledge of its orbit. For technical reasons, the orbit is more difficult to measure at this high altitude than closer to Ceres. Without these pictures, navigators would know the ship’s position to an accuracy of about three miles (five kilometers). The pictures allowed them to reduce that uncertainty to about 700 feet (200 meters). Perhaps more important than the navigational application is that these May 16 pictures show Dawn’s final view of Ceres in its one-year extended mission. This image serves as a reminder that the nature of a distant, alien world can be elusive, like a small, thin crescent, with most of the secrets veiled by an impenetrable cloak of darkness. But since early 2015, Dawn has scrutinized this dwarf planet and produced an exquisitely detailed, intimate portrait of what was for 

two centuries

 little more than an indistinct dab of light on the inky black canvas of space.

With the third wheel failure, we can be grateful that each wheel provided as much benefit as it did. The wheels allowed Dawn to conduct extremely valuable work while using the hydrazine very sparingly. Now that we are finished with the wheels, the members of the flight team are not despondent, dear reader, and you shouldn’t be either. Dawn can continue to operate until the hydrazine is depleted or some unforeseen problem arises. But risks are the nature of venturing into the forbidding depths of space. For now, Dawn has life left in it. Next month we will describe the plans for using the remaining hydrazine.

Less than a week after the third reaction wheel failed, Dawn performed perfectly in collecting all of the planned pictures (using both the primary camera and the backup camera) as well as visible spectra and infrared spectra at opposition. Reaching that special position on the line from the sun to Ceres required two months of intricate maneuvers. By coincidence, another special alignment occurs very soon. This one is called conjunction.

Earth and Ceres follow independent orbits around the sun. Earth carries with it the moon and thousands of artificial satellites. The dwarf planet has one companion, a native of Earth, a temporary resident of Vesta and a resident of Ceres since March 2015.

Because Earth is closer to the sun than Ceres, it is bound by a stronger gravitational leash and so circles faster. Early next month, their separate orbital paths will bring them to opposite sides of the sun. From the terrestrial perspective (shared by some readers, perhaps even including you), the sun and Ceres will appear to be at the same location in the sky. This is conjunction.

Dawn's location on June 5, 2017

NASA / JPL-Caltech

Dawn's location on June 5, 2017

Dawn’s location in the solar system is shown on June 5, 2017, when the spacecraft and Ceres will be on the opposite side of the sun from Earth. We have charted Dawn’s progress on this figure before, most recently in 

November

Communicating with distant interplanetary spacecraft is not easy. (Surprise!) It is even more difficult near conjunction, when the radio signals between Earth and the spacecraft travel close to the sun on their way. The solar environment is fierce indeed, and the stormy plasma that surrounds the star interferes with the radio waves, like hot, turbulent air making light shimmer. Communications will be unreliable from May 31 to June 12. Even though some signals may get through, mission controllers can’t count on hearing from the spacecraft or contacting it. But they are confident the stalwart ship will manage on its own, executing the instructions transmitted to it beforehand and handling any problems until Earth and Ceres are better positioned for engineers to provide any help. Occasionally Deep Space Network antennas, pointing near the sun, will listen amid the roaring solar noise for Dawn’s faint whisper, but receiving any crackling messages will simply be a bonus. In essence, conjunction means radio silence.

Dawn’s proximity to the sun presents a convenient opportunity for terrestrial observers to locate Dawn in the sky. On June 5-6, it will be less than one solar diameter from the sun. Ceres does not orbit the sun in the same plane as Earth, so it does not always go directly behind the disk of the sun. The spacecraft and dwarf planet will be a little bit south of the sun.

If you hold three fingers (preferably your own) together at arm’s length and block the sun any time from June 1 to 10 (and you are encouraged to do so), you will also cover Dawn. From June 3 to June 8, you can cover the dazzling celestial signpost and Dawn at the same time with your thumb.

Dawn is very big for an interplanetary spacecraft (or for an otherworldly dragonfly, for that matter), with a wingspan of nearly 65 feet (19.7 meters). However, it will be 346 million miles (557 million kilometers) away during conjunction, more than 3.7 times as far as the sun.

Dawn

NASA / JPL-Caltech

Dawn

This is an artist’s concept of Dawn. The two wings of solar cells make the spacecraft very large. Nevertheless, when at conjunction, it will be so far away that it will appear comparable to the width of a human hair at a distance of more than 1,000 miles (2,000 kilometers). In other words, the ship is much too far for your eyes to see. It would be better to use your mind’s eye. Even the most powerful telescopes could not detect the spacecraft. For that matter, observing Ceres with a telescope would be difficult at this range. Sunlight makes it impossible, but even if we ignore the overwhelming glare, the dwarf planet would appear about as large as a soccer ball seen from 81 miles (130 kilometers.) It’s a good thing we have a spacecraft there to examine it in such great detail.

Those who lack the requisite superhuman (or even supertelescopic) vision to discern the fantastically remote spacecraft through the blinding light of the sun needn’t worry. We can overcome the limitation of our visual acuity with our passion for exploring the cosmos and our burning desire for bold adventures far from home. For this alignment is a fitting occasion to reflect once again upon missions deep into space.

There, in that direction, is Earth’s faraway emissary to alien worlds. You can point right to where it is. Dawn has traveled more than 3.8 billion miles (6.1 billion kilometers) on a remarkable odyssey. It is the product of creatures fortunate enough to be able to combine their powerful curiosity about the workings of the cosmos with their impressive abilities to wonder, investigate, and ultimately understand. While its builders remain in the vicinity of the planet upon which they evolved, their robotic ambassador now is passing on the far side of the extraordinarily distant sun.

The sun!

This is the same sun that is more than 100 times the diameter of Earth and a third of a million times its mass. This is the same sun that has been the unchallenged master of our solar system for more than 4.5 billion years. This is the same sun that has shone down on Earth all that time and has been the ultimate source of much of the heat, light and other energy upon which residents of the planet have depended. This is the same sun that has so influenced human expression in art, literature, mythology and religion for uncounted millennia. This is the same sun that has motivated impressive scientific studies for centuries. This is the same sun that is our signpost in the Milky Way galaxy. Daring and noble missions like Dawn transport all of us well beyond it.

Dawn is 31,600 miles (50,800 kilometers) from Ceres. It is also 3.72 AU (346 million miles, or 557 million kilometers) from Earth, or 1,555 times as far as the moon and 3.68 times as far as the sun today. Radio signals, traveling at the universal limit of the speed of light, take one hour and two minutes to make the round trip.

Dr. Marc D. Rayman
5:00 p.m. PDT May 24, 2017

MER
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Michael A'Hearn

via Planetary Exploration Newsletter: Mike passed away on Monday, May 29, 2017, at his home in University Park, MD. He had a deep love of science and gregarious nature, always able to make a positive difference in whatever he did. An obituary will be forthcoming. Mike was the beloved husband of Maxine C. A'Hearn; father of Brian J. (Zlata) of Oxford, UK, Kevin P. (Kanlayane) of Vienna, VA, and Patrick N. A'Hearn of Seattle, WA; grandfather of Sean, Brendan, Marie, Eliane, and Gabriel.



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NASA to Announce New Astronaut Class on June 7

After evaluating a record number of applications, NASA will introduce its new astronaut candidates at 2 p.m. EDT Wednesday, June 7, from the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

May 30, 2017
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Space Station's EarthKAM Sees the Grand Canyon


On April 3, 2017, the student-controlled EarthKAM camera aboard the International Space Station captured this photograph of a favorite target -- the Grand Canyon -- from low Earth orbit. The camera has been aboard the orbiting outpost since the first space station expedition began in November 2000 and supports approximately four missions annually. via NASA http://ift.tt/2r7Hp9U

ISS Daily Summary Report – 5/29/2017

Cardio Ox Ultrasound:  A 50S crewmember completed their Flight Day (FD) 180 ultrasound, blood pressure and Electrocardiogram (ECG) measurements for the Cardio Ox investigation.  With scanning assistance from a Crew Medical Officer (CMO) and ground remote guidance specialists, the crew donned ECG electrodes and marked the Carotid and Brachial arteries for scanning.  By collecting ultrasound and ECG data along with blood and urine samples scientists will attempt to determine whether biological markers of oxidative and inflammatory stress are elevated during and after space flight and whether this results in an increased, long-term risk of atherosclerosis in astronauts. Vascular Echo: A crewmember performed Vascular Echo resting ultrasound and blood pressure measurements. With assistance from a ground remote guidance team, he scanned his neck, thigh and heart. This Canadian Space Agency (CSA) investigation examines changes in blood vessels and the heart while crew members are in space, then follow their recovery on return to Earth. Results could provide insight into potential countermeasures to help maintain crew member health and quality of life for everyone.  Radiation Dosimetry Inside ISS-Neutron (RaDI-N) Retrieval: The crew retrieved all 8 of the Space Bubble Detectors that were deployed last week in the Node 3 module for the RaDI-N experiment and handed them to the Russian crew to be processed in the Bubble Reader. This CSA investigation measures neutron radiation levels while onboard the ISS.  Bubble detectors are used as neutron monitors designed to only detect neutrons and ignore all other radiation.  Manufacturing Device (MD): The Manufacturing Device failed to complete the 12 hour print of a Radiation Environment Monitoring shield on Friday and during a second attempt yesterday. The REM shield was to be installed in the BEAM during ingress later this week. The Made-In-Space team is assessing the anomaly.  The MD – Additive Manufacturing Facility (AMF) enables the production of components on the ISS to meet both NASA and commercial objectives.  Parts, entire experiments, and tools can be created on demand utilizing the AMF.  The AMF is capable of producing parts using a wide variety of thermopolymers, including engineered plastics. Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Suit Maintenance: Following last week’s removal of EMUs 3006 and 3008 and installation of EMUs 3003 and 3010 on the Equipment Lock EMU Don/Doff Assembly the crew performed routine maintenance on EMU 3003 and 3010 including a loop scrub, iodination and conductivity tests.  Soyuz 49 (49S) Nominal Descent Drill: The 49S Crew performed a nominal Soyuz Descent Drill in preparation for their return to earth.  Soyuz undock is scheduled for June 2, 2017 at 5:48 AM CDT with landing occurring at 9:10 AM CDT. Commercial Orbital Transport Services (COTS) UHF Communication Unit (CUCU) Checkout:  In preparation for the upcoming SpaceX-11 capture and berthing planned for June 4th, the crew coordinated with ground teams to activate the CUCU System and perform a Crew Command Panel (CCP) checkout. CUCU provides a command and telemetry communications link between ISS and Dragon during free flight operations in the vicinity of ISS.   Today’s Planned Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. Personal Data Prep for Return ECON-M. Observation and Photography HRF Generic Saliva Collection 10 Minutes – Subject HRF Generic Sample MELFI Insertion Operations HRF Generic Urine Collection Ultrasound 2 HRF Rack 1 Power On Cardio Ox Ultrasound MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE dosimeter setup and measurements Switch СТТС comm to the prime set Marrow Breath And Ambient Air Sample Setup 49S ASU deactivation Cardio Ox CDL Holter Arterial BP Unit Battery Installation – Subject 49S descent OBT Cardio Ox CDL Holter Arterial BP Measurement – Subject Radi-N Detector Retrieval/Readout Radiation Dosimetry Inside ISS-Neutrons Hardware Handover MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE dosimeter receipt from USOS Cardio Ox CDL Holter Arterial BP Hardware Doff Alternate – Subject MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE dosimeter setup and measurements Vascular Echo Resting Ultrasound Scan 135 Minutes Manufacturing Device Print Clean [КСПЭ] equipment inventory Temperature and Humidity Control (THC) Intermodule Ventilation (IMV) Flow Measurement Survey Vascular Echo CDL Holter Arterial BP Measurement – Subject MELFI DEWAR INVENTORY USOS Window Shutter Close Auxiliary Laptop Computer System Virus Definition File Update Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Cooling Loop Maintenance Scrub Initiation Close SM window covers ##6,8,9,12,13,14 Refer to comment 7 ОДНТ training session (PRELIMINARY). Specialist conference Assist ОДНТ training session (PRELIMINARY). Specialist conference Descent Private Medical Conference (PMC) HRF Generic Urine Collection HRF Generic Sample MELFI Retrieval Insertion Operations Temperature and Humidity Control (THC) Intermodule Ventilation (IMV) Flow Measurement Survey SM atmosphere analysis for coolant leaks using ФИТ Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Post Scrub Cooling Loop Water (H2O) Sample HRF Generic Urine Collection Male – Subject 50S Samsung tablet PC charging (if current charge <80%) Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Cooling Loop Maintenance Iodination HRF Generic Sample MELFI Insertion Operations MRM2 [ВД1] and [ВД2] air ducts vacuuming HRF Generic Frozen Blood Collection Setup Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Conductivity Test 49S pre-undock [СУД] (motion control system) #2 test IMS update Health Maintenance System (HMS) Vision Test HRF Generic Urine Collection Fix cables running from 49S [РУО] handle HRF Generic Sample MELFI Retrieval Insertion Operations Health Maintenance System (HMS) Vision Questionnaire MRM2 [АСП] hatch cover and 49S [АСА] sealing mechanism maintenance EVA Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Cooling Loop Scrub Deconfiguration Preparation for return Photo/TV CUCU Video Setup COTS UHF Communication Unit (CUCU) Activation COTS UHF Communication Unit (CUCU) Crew Command Panel (CCP) Checkout Countermeasures System (CMS) Treadmill 2 (T2) Exercise Session Exercise Data Downlink via OCA 50S tablet PC charging Completed Task List Items Crew Medical Officer (CMO) On Board Training (OBT) [Completed GMT 147] PhotoTV Camera Mounting Assembly Stow [Completed GMT 147] At Home In Space Culture Photo [Completed GMT 147] Temperature and Humidity Control (THC) Intermodule Ventilation (IMV) Flow Measurement Survey [Completed GMT 148] ESA Active Dosimeter Area Monitoring [Completed GMT 148] Flash Card Photograph [Completed GMT 148] NOD1 WAP Antenna R&R [Completed GMT 148] Manufacturing Device Feedstock Canister Exchange [Completed GMT 148] Manufacturing Device Print Clean [Completed GMT 148] Crew Medical Officer (CMO) Proficiency Training [Completed GMT 148] PAO 2017 Astronaut Class Video [Completed GMT 148] Rodent Research Gather 2 [Completed GMT 148] […]

May 30, 2017 at 12:00AM
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2017年5月29日 星期一

Matt Isakowitz

Matthew Scott Isakowitz

"Matthew found inspiration in Carl Sagan's words, "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." Matthew's invaluable contributions to the field of commercial spaceflight included working at Astranis, Planetary Resources, the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, Space Adventures, SpaceX, and the XPRIZE Foundation. He was loved by so many and will be greatly missed."

Keith's note: I am just startled and shattered by this. Matt was everything you wanted in a space explorer and crammed so much into his all too short life. He was smart, bubbling with enthusiasm, and always ready to tackle a new challenge. I first met Matt in May 2002 at the AIA rocket launch competition here in Virginia. I went to hear Sean O'Keefe officiate at the competition - his father Steve worked for O'Keefe at the time. I first saw Matt when I spotted his father with several kids in tow. Due to the recent rain we were all covered in mud to some extent. Matt was still a young boy and I recall that he was clearly excited by all of the rocket launches he was seeing. Over the years I'd see Matt regularly and watched him become quite the space professional. Despite his age, he was fun to debate issues with since he actually knew what he was talking about. I do not know what happened. Matt was one of those people whose accomplishments I had expected to read about in my old age. Ad Astra.

Matthew S. Isakowitz,(blog)



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2017年5月28日 星期日

Beneath Jupiter


Jupiter is stranger than we knew. NASA's Juno spacecraft has now completed its sixth swoop past Jupiter as it moves around its highly elliptical orbit. Pictured, Jupiter is seen from below where, surprisingly, the horizontal bands that cover most of the planet disappear into swirls and complex patterns. A line of white oval clouds is visible nearer to the equator. Recent results from Juno show that Jupiter's weather phenomena can extend deep below its cloud tops, and that Jupiter's magnetic field varies greatly with location. Juno is scheduled to orbit Jupiter 37 times with each orbit taking about six weeks. via NASA http://ift.tt/2raF6n2

2017年5月27日 星期六

FWIW NASA Does Not Pay People To Smoke Marijuana

NASA Won't Pay You to Smoke Weed

"Q: Does NASA pay $18,000 for people to stay in bed and smoke weed for 70 straight days?

A: No. NASA conducts bed-rest studies, but it does not allow participants to smoke marijuana or even drink alcohol."

Facebook users flagged a story with the captivating headline "NASA Will Pay You $18,000 To Stay In Bed And Smoke Weed For 70 Straight Days." Don't get too excited. It's false."



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2017年5月26日 星期五

The Planetary Society’s Canadian Initiative

Kate HowellsMay 26, 2017

The Planetary Society’s Canadian Initiative

It’s an exciting time for Canada in space.

The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is en route to the asteroid Bennu, carrying the Canadian laser altimeter instrument. Next year, Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques will begin a six-month mission on the International Space Station. And a 2018 launch is planned for the ambitious James Webb Space Telescope, a collaborative mission between the Canadian Space Agency, the European Space Agency, NASA, and others.

Canadian Space Agency astronaut Dave Williams

NASA

Canadian Space Agency astronaut Dave Williams

Canadian Space Agency astronaut Dave Williams performs a spacewalk during STS-118 in 2007.

It’s also an exciting time for Canadian space advocacy.

The federal government established a new Space Advisory Board this year to consult with various stakeholders and guide the nation’s space program. The government also sought public input on their Innovation Agenda and budgetary priorities, with widespread input from the space sector. And last year the Canadian space community came together in Ottawa for the first Canadian Space Policy Symposium, where representatives from academia, industry and the nonprofit sector shared ideas, challenges, and perspectives on Canadian space policy.

In all of these initiatives, The Planetary Society has had a seat at the table.

Throughout the Society’s history we have had a large number of members and supporters in Canada, and over the past few years we have deepened our involvement here. Through outreach, presentations, conversations and partnerships, The Planetary Society has established itself as an active member of the Canadian space community.

As our presence in Canada continues to grow, we are proud to share with our Canadian members the opportunity to engage in and support outreach and advocacy work here at home.

For the time being, our advocacy efforts in Canada focus on where we see the greatest need, and this is the Canadian Space Agency’s lack of an Education and Public Outreach (EPO) program. “Inspiring Canadians” is one of the central pillars of the Canadian Space Policy Framework, and yet the Agency’s EPO department was eliminated in 2012 and has never been restored.

When the government’s Space Advisory Board invited The Planetary Society to participate in a roundtable discussion of the future of Canada’s space program, our message focused on advocating for a renewed national effort to educate and inspire Canadians of all ages about space. This is the first step toward having a public that is supportive of space exploration spending, and will shape the next generation of explorers.

And we practice what we preach; The Planetary Society supports volunteers who conduct educational outreach activities across Canada. We have outreach coordinators in Victoria, Vancouver, London, Hamilton, Toronto, Waterloo and Montreal, who share space exploration with their communities. And we are always looking to engage with other talented volunteers across the country. We are also working to expand our outreach activities through collaborative partnerships with the amazing educational organizations that are active in Canada.

As Canada’s space program evolves, so too will our advocacy initiatives. We will seek opportunities to engage our members in Canada like we do in the United States, empowering you to shape space policy. In the meantime, I invite any Canadian who wants to get more involved to contact me at kate.howells@planetary.org.

Together, The Planetary Society can enact real change in Canada, and help further the exploration of the cosmos.

Onward,
Kate Howells
National Coordinator for Canada
Global Community Outreach Manager
The Planetary Society

MER
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NASA to Make Announcement About First Mission to Touch Sun

NASA will make an announcement about the agency’s first mission to fly directly into our sun’s atmosphere during an event at 11 a.m. EDT Wednesday, May 31, from the University of Chicago’s William Eckhardt Research Center Auditorium. The event will air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

May 26, 2017
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Close-up View of Neutron Star Mission's X-Ray Concentrator Optics


A new NASA mission, the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER), is headed for the International Space Station to observe one of the strangest observable objects in the universe. In this photo, NICER’s X-ray concentrator optics are inspected for dust and foreign object debris that could impair functionality once in space. via NASA http://ift.tt/2qjUVZp

ISS Daily Summary Report – 5/25/2017

Grasp Commissioning:  To complete commissioning for the Grasp investigation hardware, Pesquet performed tasks in a seated position. Grasp is intended to provide insight into how the central nervous system integrates information from different sensory modalities encoded in different reference frames to coordinate movements of the hand with objects in the environment.  Performed on the ISS, in conjunction with a series of experiments performed on the ground, Grasp explores the interaction between all of the various sensory cues.   NanoRack Cubesat Deployer (NRCSD) #12 Deploy:  A total of 17 cubesats will be deployed from NRCSD #12. Nine CubeSats were successfully deployed today. The remaining 8 will be deployed tonight and tomorrow. All 17 are from the QB50 constellation of CubeSats that are provided by countries around the world. The constellation aims to study the upper reaches of Earth’s atmosphere over a period of 1 to 2 years. The QB50 satellites conduct coordinated measurements of the thermosphere, a poorly studied and previously inaccessible zone of the atmosphere. The project monitors different gaseous molecules and electrical properties of the thermosphere to better understand space weather and its long term trends. OsteoOmics:  A crewmember will fixate BioCells in two Biocell Habitats today and then inserted the samples into the Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI).  This completes the fourth and final week of OsteoOmics operations.  Crewmembers experience bone loss in orbit, stemming from the lack of gravity acting on their bones. OsteoOmics investigates the molecular mechanisms that dictate this bone loss by examining osteoblasts, which form bone, and osteoclasts, which dissolve bone.  Improved understanding of these mechanisms could lead to more effective countermeasures to prevent bone loss during space missions and in a wide range of disorders on Earth. This may lead to better preventative care or therapeutic treatments for people suffering bone loss as a result of bone diseases like osteopenia and osteoporosis, or for patients on prolonged bed rest. Body Measures: Today a 50S subject performed the Body Measures Flight Day 184 session. The crewmember, with assistance from a trained operator, collected Body Measures data after configuring still and video cameras. NASA is collecting in-flight anthropometric data to assess the impact of physical body shape and size changes on suit sizing.  Still and video imagery is captured and a tape measure is used to measure segmental length, height, depth, and circumference data for all body segments (chest, waist, hip, arms, legs, etc.) from astronauts before, during and after their flight missions. Robotics On-Board Trainer (RoBOT): The crew performed a session of this training during which they completed a 30 meter approach, two Capture Point hold runs and 2 meter runs. This activity was in preparation for SpX-11 capture currently scheduled for June 4. Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: Yesterday evening Robotics Ground Controllers powered up the MSS and walked the Space Station Robotic Manipulator System (SSRMS) from Mobile Base System (MBS) Power and Data Grapple Fixture (PDGF) 4 to Node2 PDGF. They then translated the Mobile Transporter (MT) from work site (WS) 6 to WS4. MSS is now in configuration for the SpX-11 Crew Offset Grapples tomorrow. Remote Power Control Module (RPCM) N21B4A_B Trip: Remote Power Controller (RPC) 2 on RPCM N21B4A_B tripped overnight. The RPC supplies power to the Node 2 Starboard Audio Terminal Unit (ATU) 1.  An alternate ATU on the port side of Node 2 is still available for voice, caution and warning tones if needed.  Preliminary review of telemetry did not indicate an overcurrent condition. Today, ground teams attempted to reclose the RPC without success. Teams are continuing to assess their forward plan.   Today’s Planned Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. NEUROIMMUNITET. Saliva sample collection Biochemical Urine Test NEUROIMMUNITET. Closeout Ops URISYS Hardware Stowage Body Measures Equipment Gather EHS Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis Final unloading of Soyuz 735 container 11Ф732.А0052А17-0 Body Measures Experiment Operations – Subject NanoRacks CubeSat Deployment Photos Body Measures Experiment Operations – Operator Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) Combustion Chamber (CC) gas supply line Leak Check 1 RFID Reader Relocate Crew Departure Preparations for Return to Earth OsteoOmics Fixation Operations Replacement of IELK, [АСУ] funnels М (M) and Ж (F) in Soyuz 733 and Soyuz 735. Seat liner and p/l container replacement Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record OsteoOmics MELFI Insertion 1 NanoRacks CubeSat Deployment Photos OsteoOmics MELFI Insertion 1 Habitability Narrated Task Video Setup – Subject HRF Generic Frozen Blood Collection Setup Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer HRDL Cable Move Habitability Narrated Task Video End – Subject HRF UCB Stow and Retrieval On-board Training (OBT) Dragon Robotics Onboard Trainer (ROBoT) Session 1 Reconnecting SM KURS-P cables from MRM2 port Antenna Feeder to DC1 port antenna feeder Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Sensor PT1 СОЖ maintenance Loading container 11Ф732.А0052А17-0 with return items IMS Update European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS) Air Mix Supply Module Replacement European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS) Gas Valve Open Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) Combustion Chamber (CC) gas supply line Leak Check 2 Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Sensor PT2 Robotics Onboard Training (ROBoT) Session for Dragon Manufacturing Device Feedstock Canister, Extruder Exchange EHS Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Waste Water Bag (WWB) Changeout Dose Tracker Data Entry Subject  Completed Task List Items Veggie 03 Pillow Watering and Photo Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Filter Remove and Replace (R&R) with Fan Filter Cleaning In-flight Maintenance Steady State Light Module Galley Rack Re-label  Ground Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. JEMRMS/NanoRacks deploy Dragon RoBOT ops Three-Day Look Ahead: Friday, 05/26: OBT Dragon Offset Grapple, EVA loops scrub/conductivity tests, OBT Soyuz drill Saturday, 06/27: Crew off duty, housekeeping Sunday, 06/28: Crew off duty QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:   Component Status Elektron Off Vozdukh Manual [СКВ] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) Off          [СКВ] 2 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV2”) Off Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab Standby Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 Operate Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab Operate Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node […]

May 26, 2017 at 12:00AM
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2017年5月25日 星期四

Spiral Galaxy NGC 6744


Big, beautiful spiral galaxy NGC 6744 is nearly 175,000 light-years across, larger than our own Milky Way. It lies some 30 million light-years distant in the southern constellation Pavo appearing as a faint, extended object in small telescopes. We see the disk of the nearby island universe tilted towards our line of sight. This remarkably distinct and detailed galaxy portrait covers an area about the angular size of the full moon. In it, the giant galaxy's yellowish core is dominated by the light from old, cool stars. Beyond the core, spiral arms filled with young blue star clusters and pinkish star forming regions sweep past a smaller satellite galaxy at the lower left, reminiscent of the Milky Way's satellite galaxy the Large Magellanic Cloud. via NASA http://ift.tt/2rYmkwq

NASA to Air Launch of Next International Space Station Resupply Mission

NASA commercial cargo provider SpaceX is targeting its eleventh commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station for 5:55 p.m. EDT Thursday, June 1. Launch coverage will begin on NASA Television and the agency’s website at 5:15 p.m., followed by the post-launch news conference at 7:30 p.m.

May 25, 2017
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Sequence of Juno Spacecraft's Close Approach to Jupiter


This sequence of enhanced-color images shows how quickly the viewing geometry changes for NASA’s Juno spacecraft as it swoops by Jupiter. The images were obtained by JunoCam. via NASA http://ift.tt/2rVdhNy

A Whole New Jupiter: First Science Results from NASA’s Juno Mission

Early science results from NASA’s Juno mission to Jupiter portray the largest planet in our solar system as a complex, gigantic, turbulent world, with Earth-sized polar cyclones, plunging storm systems that travel deep into the heart of the gas giant.

May 25, 2017
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James Webb Space Telescope Available for Media Viewing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center

Media are invited to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to view the James Webb Space Telescope and talk to experts about upcoming cryogenic vacuum tests at 10:15 a.m. CDT Wednesday, May 31.

May 24, 2017
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ISS Daily Summary Report – 5/24/2017

OsteoOmics:  The crew fixated BioCells in Biocell Habitat 1 inserted the sample into the Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI).  Crewmembers experience bone loss in orbit stemming from the lack of gravity acting on their bones. OsteoOmics investigates the molecular mechanisms that dictate this bone loss by examining osteoblasts, which form bone, and osteoclasts, which dissolve bone.  Improved understanding of these mechanisms could lead to more effective countermeasures to prevent bone loss during space missions and in a wide range of disorders on Earth. This may lead to better preventative care or therapeutic treatments for people suffering bone loss as a result of bone diseases like osteopenia and osteoporosis, or for patients on prolonged bed rest. NanoRack Cubesat Deployer (NRCSD) #12: The crew brought the JEM (Japanese Experiment Module) Airlock (JEMAL) Slide Table (ST) into the ISS and replaced the NRCSD #11 Quad deployers with the NRCSD #12 deployers.  The ST was then retracted into the JEMAL which was depressurized and vented.  These activities are in preparation for the planned deployment of CubeSats from the NRCSD #12 over the next two days. Grip Commissioning:  As part of the ongoing commissioning for the Grip investigation hardware, a crewmember performed tasks in a supine position.  Grip tests how the nervous system takes into account the forces due to gravity and inertia when manipulating objects.  Results from this investigation may provide insight into potential hazards for astronauts as they manipulate objects in different gravitational environments, support design and control of haptic interfaces to be used in challenging environments such as space, and provide information about motor control that will be useful for the evaluation and rehabilitation of impaired upper limb control in patients with neurological diseases.   Fine Motor Skills: The crew completed a series of interactive tasks during a session of FMS which studies how fine motor skills are effected by long-term microgravity exposure, different phases of microgravity adaptation, and sensorimotor recovery after returning to Earth gravity. The goal of the investigation is to determine how fine motor performance in microgravity trends/varies over the duration of a six-month and year-long space mission; how fine motor performance on orbit compare with that of a closely matched participant on Earth; and how performance trends/varies before and after gravitational transitions, including periods of early flight adaptation and very early/near immediate post-flight periods. On-Board Training (OBT) Dragon Rendezvous Review: The crew performed proficiency training on the Dragon mission profile, rendezvous crew procedures, and crew interfaces for monitoring and commanding the vehicle. This training is in preparation for planned SpaceX-11 launch on June 1 and berthing to ISS on June 4.  Today’s Planned Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. Reminder 2 CSA Generic Frozen Blood Collection Reminder 2 Fine Motor Skills МО-8. Configuration Setup REMINDER – ESA ACTIVE DOSIMETER MOBILE UNIT SWAP Body Mass Measurement CSA Generic Frozen Blood Collection 25 Minutes – Subject NEUROIMMUNITET. Saliva Sample. Psychological Test (morning) CSA Generic Frozen Blood Collection – Operator KORREKTSIYA. NEUROIMMUNITET. Collection of Blood Samples NEUROIMMUNITET. Venous blood sample processing (smear) KORREKTSIYA. NEUROIMMUNITET. Processing venous blood sample using Plasma-03 centrifuge CSA Generic Refrigerated Centrifuge Configure Insertion of Russian experiments blood samples into MELFI CSA Generic Refrigerated Centrifuge Spin Conclude Environmental Health System (EHS) Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Collect [Aborted] CSA Generic Sample MELFI Insertion CSA Generic Frozen Blood Collection Conclude And Stow Fine Motor Skills Experiment Test – Subject МО-8. Closeout Ops Fine Motor Skills Experiment Test – Subject MORNING PREPARATION WORK XF305 Camcorder Setup JAXA PCG Canister Bag CBEF Micro-G Installation JEM Airlock Press Routine Maintenance of H2O [КВ], Air Pressure [КН],  and Drainage [КД ]Valves in SM Rodnik Tanks Pille Dosimeter Readout after US EVA JEM Airlock Leak Check TV Conference with the Participants of Space Science Week in Izhevsk  (Ku + S-band) JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Extension to JPM Side Nikon still camera sync with station time NEUROIMMUNITET. Psychological Test NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer Swap ISS Crew departure preparation ISS HAM Radio Power Up ESA Weekly crew conference GRASP Big picture reading OsteoOmics Fixation Operations ZBOOK Hard Drive Installation GRASP additional set-up in seated configuration Environmental Health System (EHS) Coliform Water Processing EHS Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Analysis [Aborted] JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Retraction from JPM Side JEM Airlock Depressurization OsteoOmics MELFI Insertion 1 Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Debrief NEUROIMMUNITET. Hair Samples Collection Equipment Stowage under Soyuz 733 center seat. Completion Status Report Note 7 Hardware prep for PAO event. Video and audio signals check Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Air Lock Deconfiguration ESA Monthly Management Conference Inspection and photography of СПА instrumentation block (БА СПА), УС31 and FGB ППС 349 Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record [Aborted] JEM Airlock Vent Audit of RS ISS Docking And Internal Transfer System ССВП items Crew Departure Preparations for Return to Earth JEM Airlock Vent Confirmation On-Board Training (OBT) Dragon OBT Conference On-board Training (OBT) Dragon Rendezvous Review Verification of ИП-1 Flow Sensor Position OsteoOmics Saline Kit Relocate URISIS Hardware Setup On-board Training (OBT) Dragon Robotics Review  Completed Task List Items None  Ground Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. MT translation from WS6 to WS4 Dragon OBT Support CubeSat Deployer Swap Support Three-Day Look Ahead: Thursday, 05/25: Body Measures, OsteoOmics, GRASP, Dragon RoBOT OBT, OGS Sensor R&R Friday, 05/26: OBT Dragon Offset Grapple, EVA loops scrub/conductivity tests, OBT Soyuz drill, GRASP Saturday, 06/27: Crew off duty, housekeeping QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:   Component Status Elektron Off Vozdukh Manual [СКВ] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) Off           [СКВ] 2 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV2”) On Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab Standby Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 Operate Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab Operate Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 Operate Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) Process Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) Standby Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab Full up Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 Off  

May 25, 2017 at 12:00AM
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First Rocket Lab Launch Almost Reaches Orbit

Rocket Lab Conducts Successful Flight Test (with videos)

"Rocket Lab broke new ground today when its Electron rocket reached space at 16:23 NZST. Electron lifted-off at 16:20 NZST from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand. It was the first orbital-class rocket launched from from a private launch site in the world. "It was a great flight. We had a great first stage burn, stage separation, second stage ignition and fairing separation. We didn't quite reach orbit and we'll be investigating why, however reaching space in our first test puts us in an incredibly strong position to accelerate the commercial phase of our programme, deliver our customers to orbit and make space open for business," says Beck."



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Pretty Pictures of the Cosmos: Waltzing Through the Universe

Adam BlockMay 25, 2017

Pretty Pictures of the Cosmos: Waltzing Through the Universe

This image represents a mixture of awe, patience, and happiness:

NGC 3614

Adam Block / Mount Lemmon SkyCenter / University of Arizona

NGC 3614

This view of the spiral galaxy NGC 3614 was acquired in February 2016.

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I chose to work on this galaxy because I was playing the cosmic lottery. I am part of a group that is looking for tidal star streams surrounding nearby spiral galaxies. I had a "feeling" that this particular galaxy fit the type—but I had no way to know for certain.

Shown here are two streams (likely part of the same structure/process) associated with NGC 3614. They are very faint and I hope you can see them on your monitor. At more than 100 million light years away this galaxy is one of the farther examples in the ever expanding catalog of similar galactic events being studied by Dr. David Delgado and his Stellar Tidal Stream Survey. On the left you can see the small galaxy that is likely leaving behind some of the stars.

So I was awestruck when I saw it in my data two years ago! It is a special feeling to make astronomy a livelihood and contribute to science while simultaneously getting the thrill of discovery. The delay in the release of the image was to allow Dr. Delgado and his group the opportunity to model the system and include it in a research paper (to be published very soon). That took a bit of patience on my part, but the happiness never waned and I am pleased to share my little pursuit with you today.

Be sure to click on the image above for the large version to scroll around and see the rest of the background universe.

In mid-March, I was fortunate to be able to release my latest image of vdB 31 at a conference in Linz, Austria. This object seems particularly well-suited for the event and place:

Reflection nebula vdB 31

Adam Block / Mount Lemmon SkyCenter / University of Arizona

Reflection nebula vdB 31

This view of the blue reflection nebula vdB 31 was acquired in 2016.

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"Danube so blue,
so bright and blue,
through vale and field
you flow so calm,
our Vienna greets you,
your silver stream
through all the lands
you merry the heart
with your beautiful shores."

Not only are the words fitting with the nebula's beautiful blue flowing streamers, but perhaps if you listen closely you can hear the music as brilliant AB Auriga seems to "waltz" through the veil of dust. This image was also published as an APOD on March 11th, 2017.

Here are some delicate spiral galaxies are found on the outskirts of the Coma Cluster:

NGC 4921: Outskirts of the Coma Cluster

Adam Block / Mount Lemmon SkyCenter / University of Arizona

NGC 4921: Outskirts of the Coma Cluster

This view of a host of galaxies in the Coma Cluster, featuring NGC 4921, was acquired in April 2016.

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These denizens of the myriad members of the cluster live on the periphery—far from the monstrous ellipticals that have formed in the center. Frequent galaxy interactions and collisions shred the delicate spiral structures of galaxies like NGC 4921 and create more amorphous members.

First be certain to click on the image above for the full field at the best resolution. Don't get lost in galaxies! You might also refer to the older image of the center of the cluster below. If you compare the two images, you can see the overlap between them (top of the new one is the left side of the older central image).

Coma Cluster of galaxies

Adam Block / Mount Lemmon SkyCenter / University of Arizona

Coma Cluster of galaxies

This view was acquired in February 2012.

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Here is a field filled with galaxies in various states cosmic dance:

NGC 125 and NGC 127

Adam Block / Mount Lemmon SkyCenter / University of Arizona

NGC 125 and NGC 127

This view of two spiral galaxies, NGC 125 and NGC 127, was acquired in September 2016.

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NGC 125 near the bottom has a terrific loop: a star stream formed from an encounter with a smaller galaxy. NGC 128 to the upper left shows the process currently unfolding with the dismantling of a smaller galaxy (NGC 127) whose trailing debris of gas and dust is seen in the foreground of the more massive galaxy. In addition NGC 128 is a barred spiral galaxy as given away by the characteristic and distinctive "X" shape of the nucleus. Our own Milky Way galaxy is a barred spiral as well and we can even see our own "X" on the sky (see here).

Be certain to click on the link that shows the full resolution to enjoy the myriad other galaxies—many of which are also interacting (dancing). The negative view below shows some of the tidal tails of the interactions. The foreground bright galaxies are roughly 200 million light years away. Let your mind ponder the distances to some of the background galaxies you find!

NGC 125 and NGC 127 (inverted)

Adam Block / Mount Lemmon SkyCenter / University of Arizona

NGC 125 and NGC 127 (inverted)
MER
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