Archive for the ‘Space News’ Category
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March 7th, 2024
Taking out the trash. Multi-ton pallet tossed off years ago returns to Earth.
Image credit: NASA/Mike Hopkins
A nearly 3-ton leftover tossed overboard from the International Space Station years ago is nearing its plunge toward Earth.
The Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief, National Warning Center 1 in Bonn, Germany issued this information:
“Between midday on March 8th and midday on March 9th, a larger space object is expected to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and possibly fragment,” the translated statement explains. “The object is battery packs from the International Space Station (ISS). Luminous phenomena or the perception of a sonic boom are possible.”
The post from the warning center explains that “the probability of debris hitting Germany is considered to be very low. If the risk increases, you will receive new information.”
Image credit: Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief, National Warning Center 1
Nickel-Hydrogen batteries
The multi-ton Exposed Pallet 9 (EP9) jettison from the space station took place back in March 2021.
This disposal of EP9 is loaded with old Nickel-Hydrogen batteries, NASA explained at the time, also explaining that EP9 has the approximate mass of a large SUV and is predicted to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere in two-to-four years.
The EP9 was delivered to the ISS via Japan’s HTV-9 (Kountori 9) on May 20, 2020. The EP9 carried six Lithium-Ion battery Orbital Replacement Units (ORUs) which replaced existing ISS Nickel-Hydrogen batteries during an astronaut spacewalk.
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Image credit: ESA
There is residual fallout from the recent nosedive to Earth of the European Remote Sensing satellite, ERS-2.
Following its launch in April 1995, ERS-2 ran for nearly 16 years of observing the Earth. On February 21, the uncontrollable 2.3 ton spacecraft plowed through the Earth’s atmosphere to its demise in ocean waters.
During the uncontrolled fall of space hardware, seconds and minutes count. They can add up to de-orbiting riff raff plunging into isolated ocean waters or reaching land.
(Image credit: The Aerospace Corporation/Center for Space Policy and Strategy)
Cruise ship diversion
It was likely that parts of the ERS-2 did survive the reentry.
To that point, there was a reported ERS-2 debris-related warning issued to a Princess Cruises ship carrying 2,200 passengers. The prospect that odds and ends might fall into the area the pleasure boat was set to cross, en route to Port Luis, Mauritius, the ship steered clear of the area, taking a different course.
The willy-nilly nature of an out-of-control satellite raining down chunks of hot leftovers over inhabited landscape is cause for the willies, say experts.
But there’s more, as I discuss in my new Space.com story – “Big, dead satellite’s crash was a space-junk wakeup call, experts say” – at:
https://www.space.com/ers-2-satellite-crash-space-junk-wakeup-call
Ceremony with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Indian Ambassador Taranjit Sandhu, as India signs the Artemis Accords. U.S. Department of State, Deputy Assistant Secretary for India, Nancy Jackson, left, looks on.
Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
In February, Uruguay became the 36th country to sign the Artemis Accords, a set of non-binding principles to spawn responsible actions on the Moon.
The Accords were established in 2020, formulated by NASA, in coordination with the U.S. Department of State. Since that time, there’s been a steady pace of countries inking the Artemis Accords.
Credit: NASA
A premise of the Accords is promoting “best practices and norms of responsible behavior.”
That’s a tall order given the tumult of the times.
I recently pulsed specialists as to how the Accords are playing globally, as well as within the eagle-eye, legal-beagle community.
Go to my Space.com story – “Cooperation on the Moon: Are the Artemis Accords enough?” – at:
https://www.space.com/artemis-accords-moon-cooperation-pros-cons-signing
Image credit: NASA
Image credit: ICON
Multiple nations are targeting the Moon as an off-Earth, snug and cozy camper spot for ever-longer stays of human visitors.
For NASA, getting a literal “leg-up” on the lunar landscape once again via its Artemis program is highly touted as the way to tromp and train for marching on to Mars.
China’s newly installed fifth scientific research station in Antarctic.
(Image credit: China Central Television (CCTV)
Playing nice
Antarctica is governed by about 30 countries, all of which are parties of the 1959 Antarctic Treaty System.
Perhaps that bleak, standoffish polar scenery is a template for working on the Moon, some say, even instructional on how best to play nice with a diversity of countries?
For details, go to my new Space.com article – “Can Antarctica serve as a model for international cooperation on the Moon?” – at:
https://www.space.com/moon-base-antarctica-international-cooperation
(Image credit: RAND Australia/Composite design by Carol Ponce adapted from images by Harryarts/Freepik and grebeshkovmaxim/Getty Images)
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
The Shenzhou-17 crew members on China’s space station carried out a second spacewalking mission on Saturday.
Crew members Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin collaborated with the ground team to complete all planned tasks and returned to the space station during the 8-hour extravehicular activities.
Tang Shengjie remained inside the station’s core module. He assisted the other two crewmembers, including operating a robotic arm, to provide support for the space strolling duo outside the orbital complex.
Solar wing maintenance
According to China Central Television (CCTV), the primary objective of this mission was to carry out maintenance on the solar wing of the Tianhe core module on the station, eliminating impacts from collision by micro particles in space.
High-definition images of China’s space station were taken by the departing Shenzhou-16 crew last October 30.
Image credit: CMS
CCTV added that, following evaluation and analysis, the power generation of the repaired solar wing was back to normal. “This marks the first time that Chinese astronauts have conducted extravehicular maintenance activities on external spacecraft facilities.”
During the extravehicular activity, the astronauts also inspected the status of the space station cabin.
Wu Dawei, deputy chief designer of China’s crewed space program astronaut system.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Six-month mission
Wu Dawei, deputy chief designer of China’s crewed space program astronaut system, said the astronauts’ performance were flawless.
“Although it was Jiang Xinlin’s first time engaging in extravehicular activities on the robotic arm, he showed composure and remained calm,” Wu told CCTV. “The coordination between him and fellow astronauts, and with the ground team, was perfect. The mission was completed perfectly following our designed procedures and plans in the whole process.”
The station inhabitants, the Shenzhou-17 crew, arrived at the space station on October 26, 2023 for a six-month mission.
Image credit: Shujianyang Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Image credit: China National Space Administration (CNSA)/China Central Television (CCTV)/SciNews.ro/Inside Outer Space screengrab
China is now in an “accelerated pace” to realize the goal of the country’s first crewed landing on the Moon by 2030.
One aspect of that pedal to the metal mode for lunar exploration is China’s next robotic lunar lander – the Chang’e-6.
Reportedly departing in May, the Chang’e-6 is headed for a landing in the Moon’s south pole-Aitken basin. The lander will snag and bag lunar soil samples, launch those collectibles into lunar orbit for delivery to Earth.
China’s Chang’e-6 lunar sample return mission elements.
Credit: CNSA
Fraught with difficulties
That task will take roughly one and a half months, said Meng Zhanfeng, an engineer at the China Academy of Space Technology.
Unlike the previous Chang’e-5 mission that sampled the near side of the Moon, direct communications between Chang’e-6 and the Earth will rely on a soon-to-be-launched Queqiao-2 relay satellite. Its vital role is to handle communications between Chang’e-6 and controllers on Earth.
China’s plans for human crews on the Moon are being shaped.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
“The sampling process is complex and fraught with difficulties, requiring the support of the relay satellite,” Meng told China Central Television (CCTV). In late January, Chang’e-6 arrived at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, where it is currently undergoing thorough preparation and testing, with a launch scheduled for the first half of 2024, Meng added.
Major products
Chang’e-6 is part of the “accelerated fourth phase” of China’s lunar exploration program, CCTV reports, detailed in the newly issued Blue Book of China Aerospace Science and Technology Activities 2023 released by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation earlier this week.
Chinese astronauts may be investigating the Moon up-close before 2030.
Image credit: China Manned Space Program
CCTV stated that major products related to the humans-on-the-Moon plan, now being carried out with an “accelerated pace,” include:
— The Long March-10 launch vehicle using liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen and kerosene as propellants to dispatch spacecraft and Moon landers into the Earth-moon transfer orbit.
— A Mengzhou new-generation crewed spacecraft.
— The Lanyue lunar lander.
This hardware, along with lunar suits, has entered preliminary design and development stage according to the plan.
The supporting test launch facilities and equipment for China’s ambitious Moon agenda at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in South China’s Hainan Province are ready for construction, with various system-related research and development efforts progressing steadily, CCTV reports.
Radio wave Observation at the Lunar Surface of the photo-Electron Sheath (ROLSES).
Image credit: Intuitive Machines
“We can clearly say that the dawn of radio astronomy from the Moon has begun!”
That’s the word from Jack Burns, a University of Colorado/Boulder astrophysicist. He is a co-investigator on the ROLSES instrument now on the Moon courtesy of the Intuitive Machines lunar lander, Odysseus.
ROLSES stands for Radio wave Observation at the Lunar Surface of the photo-Electron Sheath, designed to study the dynamic radio energy environment near the lunar surface.
ROLSES is a NASA-supported payload under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services, or CLPS, initiative.
The good news is that there was successful deployment of antennas for ROLSES and turning a spectrometer on to take good low radio frequency radio data.
Rough but productive landing of Odysseus Moon lander.
Image credit: Intuitive Machines
Working as expected
“This is the first for a NASA spacecraft on the Moon. We’re not yet sure how much data we have and how much science we can do,” Burns told Inside Outer Space.
The ROLES team notes that the radio instrument, built by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, is working as expected on the Moon.
“Furthermore, NASA has already funded and manifested us to fly an upgraded ROLSES-2 on another CLPS lander sometime in 2026,” said Burns.
Lunar Surface Electromagnetics Experiment-Night (LuSEE-Night) to probe the “Dark Ages” of the early Universe.
Image credit: Firefly Aerospace
Dark ages investigation
In addition, the Lunar Surface Electromagnetics Explorer “LuSEE Night” radio telescope is scheduled to fly on yet another CLPS lander to be emplaced on the lunar far side in 2026 where researchers will attempt pathfinder observations of the Dark Ages of the early Universe.
LuSEE Night is a low frequency radio astronomy experiment and Burns is a LuSEE-Night co-investigator.
“So, lots to look forward to,” Burns concluded. “What we learn from ROLSES-1 will be folded into these next missions.”
Precursor astronomy
In a related astronomical item, the International Lunar Observatory Association (ILOA Hawai’i) reports its precursor ILO-X instruments onboard Odysseus has yielded data.
The ILO-X payload includes a miniaturized dual-camera wide and narrow field-of-view lunar imaging suite, developed by Canadensys Aerospace Corporation.
Two ILO-X precursor imagers mounted near the top of the lander.
Image credit: Intuitive Machines/ILOA
To date, ILOA has received 9 high-resolution and 105 thumbnail images from the ILO-X imagers. They will all be shared as soon as the data has been processed internally, stated ILOA Director Steve Durst in a statement.
One of the released images (below) was taken by the ILO-X gear during the Odysseus landing process. It shows the lunar surface, craters and dramatic shadows of the Moon’s south pole region, and part of the Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C spacecraft in high-resolution.
Image credit: ILOA Hawai’i
Image credit: Intuitive Machines
The EagleCam was ejected from the Intuitive Machines (IM-1) Moon lander – but from its landing spot some 13 feet (4 meters) away, no images of the landed craft have been transmitted.
Either in camera or in the Wi-Fi signal back to the lander, something might not be working correctly, explained Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus. So, the Embry‑Riddle team is working on that and wrestling with that to see if there’s anything they can do.”
Lunar lander list – two of six landing legs were damaged on hard landing.
Image credit: Intuitive Machines
Other data sets
According to the EagleCam team at the university, technical complications have currently resulted in an inability to acquire images of the Odysseus lander.
“However, the team has been able to collect other data sets from the EagleCam system, and these data will be analyzed and published in the near future,” a university statement explains.
Image credit: Intuitive Machines
In addition to the team’s primary mission objectives, the statement adds, they also set out to test an electrodynamic dust shield — a device meant to electrically “shake” lunar regolith, or Moon dust, off the EagleCam’s lenses — after landing.
“I think it’s a wild success. I would love to fly the EagleCam again,” Altemus said in a press briefing today. “Those students put their heart into it and it’s a really innovative design, and if we can get a picture of a landing, I would love to give it to them. So, we’ll see what happens going forward.”
Odysseus captured this image less than 100 feet (30 meters) above the lunar surface while his main engine throttled down
Image credit: Intuitive Machines
“Another day of exploration on the south pole region of the Moon.”
Those are the upbeat words today from the Intuitive Machines flight controllers as they continue to communicate with their troubled Odysseus lunar lander.
“This morning, Odysseus efficiently sent payload science data and imagery in furtherance of the Company’s mission objectives,” explains a posting from the group.
According to the update, ground controllers are deciphering just how much battery life remains on the lander, “which may continue up to an additional 10-20 hours.”
Image credit: Intuitive Machines
Image credit: Intuitive Machines
Image credit: NASA/ESA, Matthias Maurer
While Intuitive Machines continues to deal with its crippled Moon lander and technical hiccups, the private group is readying its next lunar lander for launch this year.
Building off its Nova-C class lunar lander design, IM-2 is targeted for another shot at the Moon’s south pole – but this time, the spot of choice is the Shackleton Connecting Ridge.
That locale may be the down-selected site for an Artemis human landing.
A spectacular, specially produced near-ground level oblique view of the “Connecting Ridge” between Shackleton and Henson craters. The lunar south pole (SP) occurs on the rim of Shackleton crater. The ridge along the rim of the South Pole-Aitken impact basin is a potential Artemis landing site (001) and another (004) occurs on the rim of Shackleton crater. (Image credit: ETHZ\LPI\Valentin T. Bickel and David A. Kring)
Drill to depth
The IM-2 outing is loaded with some key investigations.
For one, the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) involves two instruments: The TRIDENT drill is built to extract lunar soil (regolith) up to three feet (one-meter) below the lunar landscape.
Also part of the experiment is MSolo, short for Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations. Its task is to analyze the composition of the TRIDENT-collected specimen for water and other components.
Useful data for follow-on efforts
According to NASA, samples from multiple depths will be analyzed. In addition, this equipment will measure the composition of gases emanating near the drill activity.
Artwork depicts the Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C IM-2 lander carrying NASA’s Polar Resources Ice-Mining Experiment-1.
Image credit: Intuitive Machines
IM-2 is to help engineers and scientists get a better feel for resources on the Moon. Doing so, the lander can provide data useful for preparing the NASA Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER).
Similarly, science gained via IM-2 can help plan for Artemis human Moon outreach.
Deployable hopper
Onboard IM-2 is Micro Nova (µNova). This is a $41.6 million, NASA-funded small, deployable hopper lander capable of carrying a 2.2-pound (1-kilogram) payload more than 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers).
µNova could also hop into and out of permanently shaded regions, known in lunar shorthand as PSRs.
PSRs are sunlight-shy spots that might contain water ice, a resource that, if present, could be converted to rocket fuel, drinkable water and oxygen – all ingredients to help sustain a human presence on the Moon.
