Articles tagged with Spacecraft
The first four GOES-R instruments - ABI, SUVI, EXIS, and SEISS - have been delivered to Lockheed Martin for integration. These instruments will improve NOAA's ability to observe weather in near real-time, providing critical data on weather patterns, oceans, and space weather.
Scientists have combined Planck spacecraft and gravitational lensing observations to accurately measure the mass of ghostly sub-atomic particles called neutrinos for the first time. The team finds that massive neutrinos can explain the discrepancies between cosmological results and observations of large-scale structures in the Universe.
The MAVEN spacecraft has completed its initial checkout and is now ready to carry out its full science mission. The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission aims to determine the role of gas escape in changing Mars' climate throughout its history.
A study by researchers at the University of California, Davis found that growing up in space weakens a key immune system pathway in Drosophila flies. The Toll pathway was 'non-functional' in space-raised flies, but showed improvement under hypergravity conditions.
The Solar Ultra-Violet Imager (SUVI) is a new telescope that will observe the sun in extreme ultraviolet wavelengths, identifying active regions, solar flares, and eruptions. This will improve space weather forecasting, enabling earlier warnings for potential impacts on Earth's power grids, communication systems, and orbiting satellites.
Juno's flyby provided an extraordinary view of Earth and the moon from a unique vantage point near the tip of one of the spacecraft's solar-array arms. The star tracker captured frames for the movie when the spacecraft was about 2.4 million miles from Earth, offering a front-row seat to the flyby.
Scientists believe Comet ISON may have been destroyed upon approaching the sun, leaving behind small rubble pieces. Telescopes will observe and detect any remaining fragments to confirm the comet's status.
The Van Allen Probes mission reveals that high-energy particles in Earth's radiation belts can be accelerated to nearly the speed of light by ultra-low frequency electromagnetic waves. Scientists hope to use this discovery to better predict space weather conditions and protect orbiting satellites.
The Space Environment In-Situ Suite (SEISS) instrument on GOES-R will monitor radiation hazards to astronauts and satellites. SEISS data will improve energetic particle forecasts and enhance warning systems for space weather events.
The Total solar irradiance Calibration Transfer Experiment (TCTE) was launched by NASA using a combination of enthusiasm, spare parts, and resources. The instrument was assembled in just five months to fill a gap in the data record after an aging satellite's battery life expired.
The Solar Wind Electron Analyzer (SWEA) will track how charged particles, such as planetary oxygen ions, escape the planet's atmosphere. By identifying electrons in the solar wind and Martian ionosphere, SWEA can determine where the boundary layer between the two regions is located.
The ABI will offer faster imaging with much higher detail, enabling more accurate forecasts of severe weather and other hazards. The instrument's improved capabilities will help save lives and protect communities from extreme weather events.
LLCD successfully transmitted data from lunar orbit to Earth at a rate of 622 Mbps, more than six times faster than previous radio systems flown to the moon. The demonstration validated laser communication technology for future space missions.
Cassini's Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) detects propylene, a chemical used in food-storage containers and car bumpers, on Titan's lower atmosphere. The detection fills a mysterious gap in Titan observations dating back to NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft.
Scientists tracked energy from the sun to Earth's magnetosphere using eight NASA spacecraft, including ARTEMIS and THEMIS. The research provides insights into substorms and their impact on space weather, with energy flows lasting up to half an hour and covering areas 10 times larger than Earth.
Researchers using Van Allen Probes discovered ultra-fast particles driving a previously unknown configuration of three bands in the Earth's radiation belts. Computer simulations show that one common acceleration method doesn't apply to these particles.
University of Iowa researchers confirm Voyager 1's entry into interstellar space after detecting electron plasma oscillations at a frequency corresponding to an electron density about 40 times greater than expected. The spacecraft is now the most distant human-made object at over 11.6 billion miles from the sun.
Voyager 1 has entered interstellar space, leaving the heliosphere and entering a region of cold, dark space. The spacecraft's plasma density measurements suggest it crossed the heliopause in August 2012, marking a significant technological achievement and a new chapter in human scientific endeavors.
Neutral interstellar atoms flow into the solar system from a different direction than previously observed, according to IBEX measurements. The longitude of the interstellar helium wind has changed by 6.8 degrees over the past 40 years.
Scientists mapping our location in the Milky Way galaxy discover interstellar wind changes over decades, impacting our sun's heliosphere and cosmic radiation protection. The study's findings provide deeper insight into dynamic interstellar winds, crucial for understanding our place in the cosmos.
A team of scientists has developed a software that uses pulsar navigation to determine the position and velocity of spacecraft. By observing the timing of pulses from specific pulsars, the software can provide accurate location data for deep-space missions.
Researchers at the University of Maryland say Voyager 1 has entered interstellar space, leaving a 'fuzzily-defined transition zone' behind. The spacecraft crossed the heliopause on July 27, 2012, but its exact location is still debated.
The Japanese vehicle delivers new hardware to NASA's Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM), enabling the demonstration of satellite-servicing activities and cryogen replenishment. The RRM team will work with the Dextre robot to test intermediate steps leading up to cryogen transfer.
A NASA technologist has developed a fully automated tool, the Evolutionary Mission Trajectory Generator (EMTG), that gives mission planners detailed directions for efficiently steering spacecraft to distant interplanetary destinations. The tool can calculate multiple trajectories in minutes, reducing the time required to design missions.
The successful deployment of the GOES-R satellite's magnetometer boom will enhance space weather forecasting, predicting geomagnetic storms with greater accuracy. This technology improvement supports better protection of property, public safety, and economic development.
Scientists have discovered a massive particle accelerator in the heart of the Van Allen radiation belts, accelerating particles to over 99% the speed of light. Local energy sources within the belts cause the acceleration, like a perfectly timed push on a moving swing.
The IBEX spacecraft has provided the first complete pictures of the solar system's downwind region, revealing a unique and unexpected structure. The images show two lobes dominating the downwind side of the solar system, which researchers initially thought was the heliotail but is now believed to be separate structures.
A new study provides conclusive proof of a space wind first proposed 20 years ago, detected by the Cluster spacecraft in the Earth's magnetosphere. The wind releases almost 90 tonnes of plasma into space every day.
A coronal mass ejection was detected heading towards Mercury and Venus on July 1, 2013. The CME is expected to pass by NASA's Messenger, Spitzer, and STEREO-B satellites with only slight particle radiation associated with it.
A team of researchers used TACC supercomputers to simulate the impact of space debris on spacecraft and body armor. The simulations aimed to develop ballistic limit curves predicting shield perforation rates when hit by projectiles. By analyzing these results, NASA can design more effective shielding for its spacecraft.
The TWINS mission has provided three-dimensional images and global characterization of the magnetosphere, tracking how it responds to space weather storms. The stereo imaging has revealed details on ion movement and escape patterns, helping scientists understand the ring current's behavior.
Tropical Storm Barry was captured by NASA's Aqua spacecraft on June 20, 2013, revealing maximum sustained winds of 40 knots and gusts up to 50 knots. Rainfall totals of 3-5 inches are expected in southern Mexico, posing life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.
A recent study published in Science provides insight into radiation hazards for deep space missions, including those to Mars. The research measures radiation exposure on the Curiosity rover's journey to and from Mars, revealing a significant risk to astronauts, with doses potentially exceeding career limits.
The Southwest Research Institute-led Radiation Assessment Detector made detailed measurements of the energetic particle radiation environment inside the spacecraft, providing important insights for future human missions to Mars. The data show an average galactic cosmic ray dose equivalent rate of 1.8 milliSieverts per day in cruise.
The Magnetospheric Multiscale mission team successfully assembled the fourth and final observatory for NASA's MMS mission. This achievement marks a new challenge in engineering, as the team built four identical spacecraft simultaneously, a feat rarely accomplished even by experienced professionals.
The STP-H4 payload complement includes three NRL experiments: SWATS, MARS, and GLADIS, which will investigate space weather and its impact on military and civilian systems. The experiments aim to improve forecasting capabilities and provide two-way communications for various sensor arrays.
The sun emitted a third significant solar flare, exceeding the strength of earlier X-class flares, with an associated coronal mass ejection (CME) traveling at approximately 1,400 miles per second
The May 12, 2013 solar flare was classified as an X1.7, making it the first X-class flare of 2013 and part of the sun's normal 11-year activity cycle. The flare was associated with a coronal mass ejection (CME) that sent solar material into space, but was not Earth-directed.
The CU-Boulder instrument package, known as the Extreme Ultraviolet and X-ray Irradiance Sensors (EXIS), is designed to measure energy output from the sun that can affect satellite operations. The EXIS will provide rapid alerts for solar flares and monitor extreme ultraviolet wavelengths to track space weather effects.
The Extreme Ultraviolet and X-ray Irradiance Sensors (EXIS) will monitor extreme solar energy output from the sun, disrupting telecommunications, air travel, and power grids. The GOES-R satellite is expected to launch in 2015, providing more advanced capabilities and frequent images.
Two CMEs sent by the sun are hurtling towards Mercury at speeds of approximately 500 miles per second. These solar phenomena may pose a risk to NASA's Messenger and STEREO-A spacecraft due to potential particle radiation effects.
Experimental NASA research models show that three coronal mass ejections (CMEs) have erupted from the sun, with speeds of up to 625 miles per second. The CMEs may pass by NASA's Messenger and STEREO-A satellites, posing a risk of particle radiation to interplanetary spacecraft.
The Proba-3 mission aims to validate precision formation flight technology, enabling the creation of enormous space telescopes. Two satellites weighing approximately 340 kg and 200 kg will travel jointly attached together until they separate in a highly-eccentric orbit.
The Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer (NGIMS) instrument has been successfully integrated to the MAVEN spacecraft, enabling measurements of Mars' upper atmosphere composition. NGIMS will analyze neutral and ionized gases, providing insights into atmospheric chemistry and potential microbial life.
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) observed GRAIL's intentional crash into a lunar mountain, kicking up dust and gas to reveal mercury and hydrogen in the plume. The findings provide insight into the moon's volatile material transport around the lunar poles.
The Particles and Fields Package has been integrated onto the MAVEN spacecraft, which will study the solar wind and ionosphere of Mars. The package includes six science instruments that can process up to one million events per second, measuring properties such as solar ultraviolet flux and energetic particles produced in solar storms.
The NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft is undergoing rigorous environmental testing at Lockheed Martin facilities. The tests simulate extreme temperatures, vacuum, and vibration to ensure the spacecraft can operate in space.
The BARREL mission uses balloons to collect data on radiation belt particles, complementing NASA's Van Allen Probes. The team tracks particle movement and behavior, aiming to understand where radiation escapes the belts.
An Arizona State University graduate student is building an infrared and visible light camera system for a nanosatellite. The camera will guide the satellite's trajectory during its flight in low-Earth orbit.
The JPSS-1 Spacecraft has completed its delta Critical Design Review, demonstrating that the development of the spacecraft is on track to provide critical environmental data. The success of this review marks an important milestone in the project, with the spacecraft now approved to proceed into implementation.
NASA's Robotic Refueling Mission aims to demonstrate robotic refueling in space, which could add years of functional life to satellites and expand options for operators. The mission will employ the Canadian-built Dextre robot and NASA's RRM module to simulate robotic refueling, with a focus on improving satellite servicing capabilities.
Scientists used Cluster data to study the spatial characteristics of turbulence in the solar wind, finding evidence of small 'current sheets' that dissipate magnetic energy into heat. These current sheets play a crucial role in the dissipation of turbulence, contributing to the overall heating of the solar wind.
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has been selected to provide a low-rate crosslink wireless communications platform for the DARPA System F6 Program. The K-band space crosslink radio supports continuous data links among cluster members and high-rate point-to-point data links.
The Air Force Office of Scientific Research has selected ten universities to design and build small satellites in a competition. The winning project will receive additional funding for completion and be launched on a future space mission.
Researchers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center are developing graphene-based sensors to detect atomic oxygen and other trace elements in the upper atmosphere, as well as structural strains in spacecraft. The sensors could greatly simplify the measurement of atomic oxygen and provide insights into the impact on spacecraft lifetime.
Using thermal models, scientists pinpointed the extremely cold regions where ice has been found on or below the surface. The dark deposits are thought to be a thin crust of residual organic material brought by asteroids and comets.
A team of NASA engineers has created a low-cost, easy-to-apply sprayable paint that adsorbs gaseous molecules and prevents them from adhering to instrument components. The new technology overcomes limitations of existing techniques, providing a more effective solution for protecting sensitive satellite instruments and spacecraft.
A $20 million remote sensing instrument package built by CU-Boulder is being integrated onto a NASA Mars spacecraft. The package, designed to study the Martian atmosphere, will provide global context and help scientists rewrite textbooks about the upper atmosphere of Mars.
A new paper by Dr. Leonard Mermel reveals that microgravity weakens the immune system while increasing antimicrobial resistance in some microorganisms. In a spacecraft, germs can remain airborne for longer periods and spread more easily due to power limitations and recirculated air.
The New Horizons team has discovered a high risk of collisions with debris orbiting Pluto due to its fast speed. To mitigate this risk, the team is plotting alternative courses that would preserve most of the science mission while avoiding deadly encounters.