Heliospace的动态

NASA goes to Europa - potentially habitable Jupiter’s moon NASA announced Sept. 9 that the Europa Clipper mission has passed a review called Key Decision Point E. That allows the mission to move ahead into final preparations for a launch in a three-week window that opens Oct. 10 on a Falcon Heavy from the Kennedy Space Center. The mission passed the review after months of intense study to determine if transistors used on various parts of the spacecraft could handle the radiation environment around Jupiter. The agency learned in May that tests of the transistors, known as metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors or MOSFETs, for a non-NASA customer showed they could fail at radiation doses lower than qualified for. Months of testing found that none of the systems on Europa Clipper were impaired by potential damage to those transistors. “Every one of those circuits is different,” Evans said, with different consequences for failures among the 200 circuits studied. “We determined that we have sufficient margin in every one of those circuits to accomplish this mission.” Europa Clipper, with an estimated total lifecycle cost of about $5.2 billion, will closely study Europa and its subsurface ocean of liquid water. The #spacecraft will attempt to determine if that ocean is potentially habitable, although it will not be able to detect any life itself. #space https://lnkd.in/dU6F8NYE

NASA's Mars Sample Return Concept Studies Selected https://lnkd.in/eEPx2Dz3 NASA recently announced the selections for the MSR (ROSES C.26) call to industry, showcasing a diverse range of concept titles proposed by various companies. The selected proposals include: - Lockheed Martin in Littleton, Colorado: “Lockheed Martin Rapid Mission Design Studies for Mars Sample Return” - SpaceX in Hawthorne, California: “Enabling Mars Sample Return With Starship” - Aerojet Rocketdyne in Huntsville, Alabama: “A High-Performance Liquid Mars Ascent Vehicle, Using Highly Reliable and Mature Propulsion Technologies, to Improve Program Affordability and Schedule” - Blue Origin in [edit] Kent, WA: “Leveraging Artemis for Mars Sample Return” - Quantum Space in Rockville, Maryland: “Quantum Anchor Leg Mars Sample Return Study” - Northrop Grumman in Elkton, Maryland: “High TRL MAV Propulsion Trades and Concept Design for MSR Rapid Mission Design” - Whittinghill Aerospace in Camarillo, California: “A Rapid Design Study for the MSR Single Stage Mars Ascent Vehicle” These selections may bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to the mission, and it will be interesting to learn more about the concepts proposed. However, it remains unclear how the new studies will be integrated into or replace the current MSR architecture, what the timeline is, or what the expected costs really are. The focus on reducing complexity and enhancing reliability needs to align with the broader goals of ensuring mission feasibility and maximizing return on investment. In the meantime, we find ourselves in a state of uncertainty. Given the pending elections and the current political and budgetary climate, it is doubtful that any significant decisions will be announced soon. This period of enforced stagnation is concerning, as it could have a detrimental effect on the already beleaguered and somewhat disillusioned workforce at JPL. The uncertainty and lack of clear direction may further erode morale and hinder the progress of ongoing and future projects. In previous discussions and letters, I have consistently advocated for robust support and clear direction for NASA's missions. The MSR mission, in particular, is a testament to our ambition to explore and understand the cosmos. It is essential that we continue to support this mission, ensuring that it receives the necessary resources and attention to succeed. While it is crucial to remain supportive of the studies and new ideas being brought to the table, it is equally important to seek clarity on how these new initiatives will be implemented. The inclusion of additional new players and fresh perspectives can potentially strengthen the mission's success, but only if managed effectively. This collaborative spirit is at the heart of our collective efforts to push the boundaries of human knowledge and exploration.

15 Billion Miles Away, NASA's Voyager 1 Comes Back To Life Using 1981 Tech The spacecraft, which is in interstellar space over 15 billion miles away, experienced a brief interruption in communication on October 16. NASA's 47-year-old Voyager 1 spacecraft recently established contact with Earth after a brief halt with the help of a radio transmitter that has not been used since 1981. NASA engineers at Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California re-established contact with the spacecraft on October 24. The spacecraft, which is in interstellar space over 15 billion miles away, experienced a brief interruption in communication on October 16 due to a shutdown of one of its transmitters. This shutdown was likely triggered by the spacecraft's fault protection system, which powers down certain systems when power usage is too high. According to NASA, a message takes around 23 hours to travel one way - from Earth to Voyager 1 and vice-versa. On October 16, when the NASA engineers sent a command to the spacecraft, they could not detect its response till October 18. A day later, communication with Voyager 1 stopped completely. After an investigation, the space agency team discovered that Voyager 1's fault protection system had switched the spacecraft to a second, lower-power transmitter. Voyager 1 has two radio transmitters, but has been using only one for years called an 'X-band'. However, the other transmitter - the 'S-band' - uses a different frequency which has not been employed since 1981. Presently,?NASA?has opted to avoid switching back to the X-band transmitter until they can determine what activated the fault protection system - which may take weeks. "Engineers are being cautious because they want to determine whether there are any potential risks to turning on the X-band. In the meantime, engineers sent a message to Voyager 1 on October 22 to check that the S-band transmitter was working and received confirmation on October 24. But it's not a fix the team wants to rely on for too long," Voyager mission assurance manager, Bruce Waggoner told CNN. Voyager 1 was launched after Voyager 2, but because of a faster route it exited the asteroid belt earlier than its twin, and it overtook Voyager 2 on December 15, 1977. The spacecraft is the first human-made object to venture into interstellar space. The spacecraft was the first to cross the heliosphere - the boundary where the influences from outside our solar system are stronger than those from the Sun. So far, the Voyager 1 has discovered a thin ring around Jupiter and two new Jovian moons - Thebe and Metis. It also found five new moons and a new ring called 'G-Ring' at Saturn. #space #nasa #voyagerupdate #voyager1 #nasaupdate #astrophysics #aerospace #satellite

The NASA Ames Research Center's?Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3)?deployed its booms?in Earth’s orbit on August 29,?unfurling?its 9-meter wide?reflective surface. Launched on a?Rocket Lab Electron rocket on April 23, 2024, the 12U CubeSat, built by Kongsberg NanoAvionics,?reached the primary mission?of successfully testing the unfolding operation of the 80-square-meter sail in space. The ACS3 mission’s success could lead to the development of technologies that can support?sails up to two thousand square meters, leading to larger-scale missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, potentially even to interstellar travels. Read more: https://lnkd.in/da6VmsHy #ACS3 #Solarsail #SpaceExploration #NASA #CubeSat #Sun #Electron

Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost mission launches to the moon A moon lander from Firefly Aerospace was launched this morning carrying a variety of NASA science instruments and technology demonstrations. The Blue Ghost mission was launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1:11 a.m. ET today, Wednesday January 15. The aim is for the mission to perform a soft landing on the moon. If successful it will be just the second such landing ever by a private company, following the Intuitive Machines Odyssey landing last year. These two landings are part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, which aims to have companies deliver NASA science to the moon ahead of planned human exploration there for the Artemis mission. “This mission embodies the bold spirit of NASA’s Artemis campaign – a campaign driven by scientific exploration and discovery,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. “Each flight we’re a part of is vital step in the larger blueprint to establish a responsible, sustained human presence at the moon, Mars, and beyond. Each scientific instrument and technology demonstration brings us closer to realizing our vision. Congratulations to the NASA, Firefly, and SpaceX teams on this successful launch.” Following launch vehicle separation, Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander acquired signal and completed on-orbit commissioning. Firefly Aerospace After the launch, the spacecraft separated from its rocket at 2:17 a.m. ET and established communications with the ground. The team then checked out the spacecraft’s position and health, ensuring everything was working correctly and that data could be transferred. Now, the Blue Ghost spacecraft will spend around 25 days in orbit around the Earth before heading toward the moon for a four-day journey there? and then spending 16 days in lunar orbit. The aim is to attempt a landing on the moon on Sunday, March 2, in an area called the Mare Crisium basin, a 300-mile-wide crater located in the northern part of the moon’s near side, and for the spacecraft to then perform experiments in lunar drilling and sample collection. “On behalf of Firefly, we want to thank SpaceX for a spot-on deployment in our target orbit,” said Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly Aerospace. “The mission is now in the hands of the unstoppable Firefly team. After all the testing conducted and mission simulations completed, we’re now fully focused on execution as we look to complete our on-orbit operations, softly touch down on the lunar surface, and pave the way for humanity’s return to the moon.” Source link Tags and categories: ????? via WordPress https://ift.tt/9Mqbysw January 15, 2025 at 08:27PM

NASA Evaluates Electrical Components for Europa Clipper Mission Launch preparations for NASA's Europa Clipper mission are moving forward. The spacecraft, which arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in May, recently had its high-gain antenna installed. "Engineers with NASA's Europa Clipper mission continue to conduct extensive testing of transistors that help control the flow of electricity on the spacecraft." This follows concerns that these components might not withstand Jupiter's intense radiation environment, managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California. Additional tests are being conducted at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Maryland and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. APL designed the spacecraft in collaboration with JPL and NASA Goddard. "NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, which manages the mission, began the tests after learning that some of these parts may not withstand the radiation of the Jupiter system, which is the most intense radiation environment in the solar system." The transistor issue emerged in May when it was discovered that similar parts failed under lower radiation doses than expected. An industry alert was issued in June 2024 to inform users of the potential risk. The manufacturer is collaborating with NASA to conduct ongoing radiation tests and analyses to understand the risks of using these transistors on the Europa Clipper. Preliminary testing indicates that some transistors may fail in the high-radiation environment near Jupiter and its moon Europa due to insufficient radiation resistance. NASA is assessing how many transistors are at risk and their performance during the mission. Options to extend the transistors' lifespan in the Jupiter system are being evaluated, with a preliminary analysis expected by late July. Radiation-hardened electronics are crucial for protecting spacecraft from space radiation damage. Jupiter's powerful magnetic field-20,000 times stronger than Earth's-accelerates charged particles to high energies, creating intense radiation. The transistor issue appears to be a newly identified gap in the industry's standard radiation qualification process. The Europa Clipper's launch window opens on Oct. 10, with arrival at Jupiter expected in 2030. The mission aims to conduct detailed investigations into Europa's potential habitability through multiple flybys of the moon.

NASA's Europa Clipper, launched on October 14, is currently 13 million miles from Earth and will reach Mars in just three months for a gravity assist. - by Frederic Eger - The spacecraft is equipped with two science instruments that will remain at attention for the next decade, extending out from the spacecraft during the cruise to Jupiter and the entire prime mission. A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launched it away from Earth's gravity, and now the spacecraft is zooming along at 22 miles per second relative to the Sun. Europa Clipper is the largest spacecraft NASA has ever developed for a planetary mission. It will travel 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion kilometers) to arrive at Jupiter in 2030 and in 2031 will begin a series of 49 flybys, using a suite of instruments to gather data that will tell scientists if the icy moon and its internal ocean have the conditions needed to harbor life. For now, the information mission teams are receiving from the spacecraft is strictly engineering data (the science will come later), telling them how the hardware is operating. Things are looking good. The team has a checklist of actions the spacecraft needs to take as it travels deeper into space. Shortly after launch, the spacecraft deployed its massive solar arrays, which extend the length of a basketball court. Next on the list was the magnetometer's boom, which uncoiled from a canister mounted on the spacecraft body, extending a full 28 feet (8.5 meters). To confirm that all went well with the boom deployment, the team relied on data from the magnetometer's three sensors. Once the spacecraft is at Jupiter, these sensors will measure the magnetic field around Europa, both confirming the presence of the ocean thought to be under the moon's icy crust and telling scientists about its depth and salinity. After the magnetometer, the spacecraft deployed several antennas for the radar instrument. Now extending crosswise from the solar arrays, the four high-frequency antennas form what look like two long poles, each measuring 57.7 feet (17.6 meters) long. Eight rectangular very-high-frequency antennas, each 9 feet (2.76 meters) long, were also deployed — two on the two solar arrays. Once all the instruments and engineering subsystems have been checked out, mission teams will shift their focus to Mars. On March 1, 2025, Europa Clipper will reach Mars' orbit and begin to loop around the Red Planet, using the planet's gravity to gain speed. Mission navigators have completed one trajectory correction maneuver, as planned, to get the spacecraft on the precise course. At Mars, scientists plan to turn on the spacecraft's thermal imager to capture multicolored images of Mars as a test operation. They also plan to collect data with the radar instrument so engineers can ensure it is operating as expected. The spacecraft will perform another gravity assist in December 2026, swooping by Earth before making the remainder of the journey to the Jupiter system.

?? A New Era in Propulsion: NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System... Key Highlights: ??Craft Design: The spacecraft, roughly the size of an oven, will deploy an 80 square-meter solar sail made from a remarkably thin film. ??Launch Details: Set to launch from New Zealand aboard Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket, this mission underscores NASA’s commitment to pioneering technologies. ??Mission Goals: By harnessing solar particles for propulsion, NASA aims to reduce dependency on conventional fuel, paving the way for cost-effective, long-duration missions. ??Future Prospects: Success could lead to larger missions and more expansive solar sails, potentially revolutionizing how we explore space. What other innovations could solar propulsion bring to future space exploration? https://lnkd.in/ei5bdAFc #SpaceTech #NASA #Innovation #SolarSail

Varda Space Industries W-2 Mission Launches with NASA and AFRL Payloads https://lnkd.in/d4fynGyf #Readmagazine #news #industries #Artificialintelligence #aerospace #Varda #NASA #AFRLPayloads #orbitalprocessing #ThermalProtectionSystem

Headed to Jupiter’s moon Europa, the spacecraft is operating without a hitch and will reach Mars in just three months for a gravity assist. NASA’s Europa Clipper, which launched Oct. 14 on a journey to Jupiter’s moon Europa, is already 13 million miles (20 million kilometers) from Earth. Two science instruments have deployed hardware that will remain at attention, extending out from the spacecraft, for the next decade — through the cruise to Jupiter and the entire prime mission. A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launched it away from Earth’s gravity, and now the spacecraft is zooming along at 22 miles per second (35 kilometers per second) relative to the Sun. Europa Clipper is the largest spacecraft NASA has ever developed for a planetary mission. It will travel 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion kilometers) to arrive at Jupiter in 2030 and in 2031 will begin a series of 49 flybys, using a suite of instruments to gather data that will tell scientists if the icy moon and its internal ocean have the conditions needed to harbor life. For now, the information mission teams are receiving from the spacecraft is strictly engineering data (the science will come later), telling them how the hardware is operating. Things are looking good. Shortly after launch, the spacecraft deployed its massive solar arrays, which extend the length of a basketball court. Next on the list was the magnetometer’s boom, which uncoiled from a canister mounted on the spacecraft body, extending a full 28 feet (8.5 meters). To confirm that all went well with the boom deployment, the team relied on data from the magnetometer’s three sensors. Once the spacecraft is at Jupiter, these sensors will measure the magnetic field around Europa, both confirming the presence of the ocean thought to be under the moon’s icy crust and telling scientists about its depth and salinity. After the magnetometer, the spacecraft deployed several antennas for the radar instrument. Now extending crosswise from the solar arrays, the four high-frequency antennas form what look like two long poles, each measuring 57.7 feet (17.6 meters) long. Eight rectangular very-high-frequency antennas, each 9 feet (2.76 meters) long, were also deployed — two on the two solar arrays. “It’s an exciting time on the spacecraft, getting these key deployments done,” said Europa Clipper project manager Jordan Evans of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “Most of what the team is focusing on now is understanding the small, interesting things in the data that help them understand the behavior of the spacecraft on a deeper level. That’s really good to see.” #NASA #Europa #EuropaClipper An artist’s concept of NASA’s Europa Clipper shows the spacecraft in silhouette against Europa’s surface, with the magnetometer boom fully deployed at top and the antennas for the radar instrument extending out from the solar arrays. (NASA/JPL-Caltech)