50 YA - Atlas Tests

MA-2 Atlas test.

In February 1961 the race to put a man in space was definitely ON.

On February 24, NASA launched a test of the Atlas rocket carrying an unmanned Mercury Capsule. Actually I have found references that describe the test as having taken place on February 21, 22 and 24th. At this point I'm not really sure which day it was launched!

Color photo of launch.

The Atlas lifted off from Launch Complex 14 at 2:10pm. The main objectives of the test were to verify that the capsule could withstand the tremendous g-forces of a steep re-entry, and that the rocket could place the capsule where directed. The mission was a success, placing the capsule in a suborbital arc that lasted about 18 minutes. The capsule reached an altitude of 114 miles.

Cool fact: The capsule, designated Mercury # 6, is on display at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

Solar Eruptions hit Earth

The Sun never sleeps...

Since February 15th there have been a series of eruptions on the surface of the Sun. These eruptions emphasize the fact that the Sun is becoming more active after a lengthy period of "inactivity" which featured incredibly low counts of sunspots and other surface activity. The Sun is approaching its regular activity pattern in the 11-year solar cycle.

The eruptions from the Sun, designated X-class solar flares, have sent wave after wave of charged solar particles toward the Earth. Thankfully, our magnetic field will protect us from the most dangerous effects of the blasts, and will result in some magnificent Aurora displays in the far North. However, the danger we face is disruption to the orbital communications networks that we depend on for our quality of life. Besides navigation and power systems, communications and space equipment may be at risk.

NASA is also monitoring the blasts to see if their strength can put astronaut lives at risk. In worst cases, the Astronauts have some areas on the ISS where they can be protected from the worst of the radiation, but there is always a danger. Further away from Earth, astronauts on missions away from our magnetic field would be in great danger. This risk has always been part of any planning for deep space missions.

We've been learning more and more about the dangers the Sun presents to our civilization's electronic lifelines. We have to learn how to build more radiation resistant systems to withstand any such future attacks.

ATV on its Way to ISS

Cutaway view of the ATV cargo carrier. Credit: ESA

The European Space Agency launched the Ariane 5 rocket from its location on the north end of South America on Wednesday. This is the second launch of the ESA's cargo module, and is named after the famous astronomer Johannes Kepler. The ATV 2(Automated Transfer Vehicle) is carrying seven metric tons of cargo to the International Space Station and is planned to dock on the 24th. It will stay attached to the station for some time and will act as storage for waste material and garbage until ready for dumping the entire thing to burn up in the atmosphere.

50 YA - Explorer IX

That's no moon...

Explorer IX was placed into Earth orbit on February 16, 1961 after a successful launch on a new Scout rocket. The satellite was designed to inflate after launch and test atmospheric densities in low orbit. Its aluminum foil layers on the skin functioned as the craft's antenna but it's tracking system failed after launch. The mission controllers used the craft's camera system to help keep track of the spacecraft. Power was supplied by solar cells placed around the outer skin.

The launch was notable for being the first successful launch of a satellite on a solid rocket motor (the Scout launcher), and for being the first successful launch from the Virginia Wallops Island facility.

Explorer IX would finally burn up in the atmosphere 50 months later. An entire series of probes like Explorer IX would eventually be designed for testing the properties of our outer atmosphere.

ISS Spacewalk Now

Cosmonauts in action.

This morning on NASA TV we can watch a spacewalk by two cosmonauts, Kondratyev and Skripochka, on the outside of the ISS. The first experiment to be worked on is the Radiometria system outside of the Zvesda module. This experiment picks up signals from sensors on Earth that will be useful for earthquake monitoring and studies. The second experiment is the Molniya Gamma module, which monitors gamma and optical wavelengths emitted from lightning and thunderstorms. Following that, they will retrieve some materials which have been exposed to space for some time.

Keeping an eye on lightning.

Stardust meets Comet Tempel-1

StarDust-Next, formerly Stardust.

This is a mission where we got our money's worth. The Stardust-Next mission successfully placed the Stardust explorer craft through a close fly-by of comet Tempel 1 lat last night. The craft closed to its closest approach of 112 miles. I stayed up a bit late to watch the excitement at JPL mission control as the events occurred. Well, excitement for space geeks, at least. And I am one for sure.

The Stardust spacecraft has been out there for about 12 years. Its original successful mission was to pass near comet Wild 2 back in 2004, collect a sample of the dust surrounding the comet, and return the sample to Earth. This mission is described at this link: http://stardustnext.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/behind_mission.html

One of the cool events of that mission was to watch the sample capsule land dangerously in the desert near Salt Lake City UT.

With the mission concluded, NASA/JPL planned to give the craft a second, new mission. Retasking this spacecraft would cost millions less than creating a new spacecraft and launching it. Engineers discovered they had just enough propellant and life left in Stardust to send it on an exciting mission to comet Tempel 1.

Tempel 1 had been visited before. In 2005, the space probe Deep Impact flew through the comet dust cloud and crashed an impactor into its surface, blasting out more dust particles which could be analyzed by instruments. With Stardust, explorers could revisit the comet and examine the surface details for changes that occurred during the 5 year gap. Stardust was renamed Stardust-Next, and sent off on its second voyage of exploration.

Artist image of the approach to Tempel 1. Yes, a bit dramatic. Who cares? Very nice.

Scientists are a fairly reserved group of people when it comes to showing their emotions, and mission controllers are even more cool under pressure. But you could sense the excitement growing as the spacecraft reached closest approach. There were a couple of tense moments waiting to see if the spacecraft would encounter any problems transmitting data but all went as planned. One exciting moment occurred when it was discovered that the spacecraft had taken a hit from a tiny piece of the comet, enough to need a slight adjustment in thruster control. Thankfully not damaging enough to end the mission.

The big question now is whether the Deep Impact crater will have been visible and sunlit during the photo-fly-by, and if the images will capture data showing change on the surface. The pictures are all being downloaded today, and soon we'll have some magnificent images to see. Until then, here's one of the first pictures from the approach. All images are NASA/JPL and associates.

1,530 miles and closing...

Shuttle Happenings

Discovery rolls out to the launch pad.

Overnight on January 31st and February 1st, the shuttle Discovery was finally rolled out on the enormous crawlers to set up on Pad 39A. NASA has planned for a launch on February 24th at about 2:50 pm Mountain time. Discovery's STS133 was delayed for a couple of month in order to repair stress cracks discovered in the External Tank which is filled with liquid Hydrogen during liftoff. STS133 is planned to bring supplies to the ISS and help perform repair and maintenance tasks. There are two more shuttle missions planned after this one.

Astronaut Tim Kopra, a mission specialist on STS133, suffered an injury while bicycling. He will be replaced on this mission by astronaut Steve Bowen. This is an unusual situation because Bowen had just recently flown on the last shuttle mission, and according to NASA this makes him the first astronaut to fly on consecutive space missions. Who'd have thought?

STS134 is scheduled to fly in April. The commander of that mission, Mark Kelly, is husband of Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who was tragically shot in Arizona recently. Her head wound has made remarkable healing progress, and it appears Commander Kelly will continue to command the shuttle mission.