The Hubble Space Telescope is best known for looking deep into space, collecting images that have helped shape our present understanding of the universe. It can also be useful closer to home, however.
In 2006, Hubble was used to find two small moons of Pluto to go with the large one already known. This summer, Hubble has identified a fourth moon that is even smaller. Astronomers put it at anywhere from 8 to 20 miles across. They speculate that the moons were formed when a large body slammed into Pluto. That may be, but so far from the Sun, with so few large bodies roaming such a vast volume of space, such collisions must be much less frequent than they are in the inner System.
The New Horizons probe is currently on its way to Pluto, to arrive in 2015, so we should get a close-up view of Pluto and its emerging family of moons fairly soon.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
ULA And NASA
The United Launch Alliance, a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, has entered into an agreement with NASA to work with the space agency to determine how quickly the Atlas 5 rocket can be upgraded to launch spacecraft carrying humans.
So far, the Atlas 5 has a 100% performance record since 2002 launching satellites.
This effort would aim at getting American astronauts flying aboard American commercial spacecraft, launched by the Atlas 5, as soon as possible. Speculation is that the Atlas 5 could be man-rated in three or four years. If successful, the effort could provide competition to both the Russian Soyuz and SpaceX's Falcon 9/Dragon stack, thus, hopefully, reducing the cost of human spaceflight and bringing in more competitors.
So far, the Atlas 5 has a 100% performance record since 2002 launching satellites.
This effort would aim at getting American astronauts flying aboard American commercial spacecraft, launched by the Atlas 5, as soon as possible. Speculation is that the Atlas 5 could be man-rated in three or four years. If successful, the effort could provide competition to both the Russian Soyuz and SpaceX's Falcon 9/Dragon stack, thus, hopefully, reducing the cost of human spaceflight and bringing in more competitors.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Atlantis Headed Home
Space shuttle Atlantis undocked from ISS this morning and is scheduled to land on Thursday at Cape Kennedy.
With that landing, the space shuttle era of spaceflight will be over. The shuttle did not achieve the goals of the program, for various reasons, but it did give us a glimpse of a future based on reusable spaceships. The challenge now is to reach that era as quickly as possible.
With that landing, the space shuttle era of spaceflight will be over. The shuttle did not achieve the goals of the program, for various reasons, but it did give us a glimpse of a future based on reusable spaceships. The challenge now is to reach that era as quickly as possible.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Dawn Enters Orbit
NASA's Dawn spacecraft became the first space probe to orbit a Main Belt asteroid last night as it slipped under the gravitational influence of the large, bright asteroid, Vesta.
Exactly when Dawn entered orbit is unclear as Vesta's mass, which determines the strength of its gravitational field, is not precisely known. That will be nailed down soon. Also to be determined is why Vesta is so bright.
After studying Vesta, Dawn is scheduled to move on to the even larger asteroid, Ceres-- which in fact is currently classified as a dwarf planet.
Exactly when Dawn entered orbit is unclear as Vesta's mass, which determines the strength of its gravitational field, is not precisely known. That will be nailed down soon. Also to be determined is why Vesta is so bright.
After studying Vesta, Dawn is scheduled to move on to the even larger asteroid, Ceres-- which in fact is currently classified as a dwarf planet.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Neptune
This year marks the 165th Earth year since the human discovery of the planet Neptune. That comes out to one Neptunian year.
Neptune is the first planet discovered after a deliberate attempt to find it. Using Newton's Laws to analyze the orbit of Uranus, two mathematicians independently concluded that another large planet was gravitationally acting on Uranus, and they worked out where in the sky that planet should be. Astronomers pointed telescopes in that direction, and quickly found Neptune. It was a stunning demonstration of the power of science and mathematics to understand the universe.
Nearly a century later, similar reasoning led to the search for Planet X, which culminated in the discovery of Pluto by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930. Pluto, however, never really measured up, and it was eventually decided that there were in fact no unexplained irregularities in the motion of Neptune. Serendipity also plays a part in scientific discovery.
Neptune is the first planet discovered after a deliberate attempt to find it. Using Newton's Laws to analyze the orbit of Uranus, two mathematicians independently concluded that another large planet was gravitationally acting on Uranus, and they worked out where in the sky that planet should be. Astronomers pointed telescopes in that direction, and quickly found Neptune. It was a stunning demonstration of the power of science and mathematics to understand the universe.
Nearly a century later, similar reasoning led to the search for Planet X, which culminated in the discovery of Pluto by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930. Pluto, however, never really measured up, and it was eventually decided that there were in fact no unexplained irregularities in the motion of Neptune. Serendipity also plays a part in scientific discovery.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Bolden On Capitol Hill
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden testified before Congress this week, arguing for funding for both a new heavy-lift vehicle and the James Webb Space Telescope. Given the state of federal finances, Bolden has a couple tough sells.
Congress has in fact ordered NASA to build a new heavy-lift launcher, but, with the cancellation of the Constellation Moonbase program, critics contend there is no need on the horizon for such a big rocket. To the extent that argument is seen as credible, it could be used to save money in these tough times.
The same holds for JWST. Bolden argued the follow-on to the Hubble Space Telescope could produce discoveries even more profound than the ones Hubble enabled. First, that's a tall order, however well supported the statement may seem. Second, the JWST program has been plagued by slipping schedules and cost overruns. In a period of extremely tight money, that wouldn't seem the type of program likely to win support.
Congress has in fact ordered NASA to build a new heavy-lift launcher, but, with the cancellation of the Constellation Moonbase program, critics contend there is no need on the horizon for such a big rocket. To the extent that argument is seen as credible, it could be used to save money in these tough times.
The same holds for JWST. Bolden argued the follow-on to the Hubble Space Telescope could produce discoveries even more profound than the ones Hubble enabled. First, that's a tall order, however well supported the statement may seem. Second, the JWST program has been plagued by slipping schedules and cost overruns. In a period of extremely tight money, that wouldn't seem the type of program likely to win support.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Cutting Satellites
The U. S. House may vote today to cut funding for two satellite programs of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Part of the money saved may go to a different satellite program that is backed by the White House.
Of course, the House vote is just one step in the process. The Senate gets its say, too, for instance. Still, a willingness in the House to cut satellites that would have focused on Earth may not bode well for NASA, with its focus on other worlds.
Of course, the House vote is just one step in the process. The Senate gets its say, too, for instance. Still, a willingness in the House to cut satellites that would have focused on Earth may not bode well for NASA, with its focus on other worlds.
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