Space Posters
Check out the space exploration posters available on the posters page.
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I've added several new photosets. Included are photos of the space shuttle Enterprise on the Space Shuttle page. Also find photos of a Pegasus-XL, a Minuteman III, and a V-2 rocket on the Other Rockets page.
Posted on June 17, 2009
The Kepler mission successfully launched today. This space telescope will search for Earth-sized planets orbiting distant stars.
In recent years, scientists have discovered several hundred planets orbiting other stars. However, most of these planets are very large, gas giant, type planets. Others are planets far too close to stars to provide an Earth-like environment for life.
Earth-like planets, because of their small size, are very difficult to locate from ground based telescopes. Earth's atmosphere creates too much distortion to see such small, distant objects.
By focusing on a single field of view for three and a half years, Kepler will search for short term dimming of stars. Twice per hour, Kepler will observe over 100,000 stars looking for dimming that might indicate the passage of a planet orbiting the star. (Think of a Solar eclipse. As the Moon passes in front of the Sun, the sunlight reaching Earth dims for a period of time.)
The main scientific instrument, indeed the only instrument, is a Schmidt type telescope with a .95 meter aperture and a 1.4 meter primary mirror. The focal plane array includes an amazing 95 megapixels!
The price tag for the Kepler mission, including development, construction, launch cost, and the first 3.5 years of operation, is around $600 million.
Detailed mission information is available at the NASA Kepler website.
This NASAtelevision video provides a quick overview of the Kepler mission.
Kepler will be the tenth mission flown under NASA’s Discovery program. The Discovery program is a series of competitively chosen, low cost, rapidly developed, space probes.
Proposals must come in under a predetermined price cap. The cap includes development, construction, launch and operation costs. To meet these goals, mission planners need to quickly develop and fly missions. This helps reduce the ‘mission creep’ that can result in the delays and spiraling cost overruns experienced by some flagship missions.
The low-cost approach to space exploration means more missions can be flown. Since the first Discovery mission, NEAR, was launched in 1996, missions have been flown every year or two.
NEAR (Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous) - Launched on 17FEB1996, NEAR became the first probe to orbit, then land on, an asteroid. NEAR returned over 160,000 images of its target, 433 Eros, the largest of the Near Earth Asteroids.
Mars Pathfinder - Launched on 4DEC1996, Mars Pathfinder became the first Mars lander to use the airbag landing system. Pathfinder deployed a small rover known as Sojourner. The experience gained operating the rover, as well as the successful use of the airbag landing system, proved critical to the later success of the much larger and more capable Mars Exploration Rovers launched in 2003.
Lunar Prospector - Launched on 6JAN1998, Lunar Prospector mapped the chemical composition of the Lunar surface.
Stardust - Launched on 7FEB1999, this highly successful mission conducted a flyby of Comet Wild 2. During the flyby, particles were collected and returned to Earth. The Stardust return capsule is now on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.. (Photos)
Genesis - Launched on 8AUG2001, the Genesis mission collected solar wind particles and returned them to Earth for study. Despite a parachute failure during reentry, much of the data was recovered.
Contour (Comet Nucleus Tour) - Launched on 3JUL2003, Contour was planned to rendezvous with and explore two diverse comets. Unfortunately, Contour failed several weeks after launch.
Messenger (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) - Launched on 3AUG2004, the Messenger mission will go into orbit around the planet Mercury in 2011. This will be the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury.
Deep Impact - Launched on 12JAN2005, the Deep Impact mission conducted a flyby of Comet Tempel 1. Prior to the flyby, a large 770 pound impactor was released. As planned, the impactor struck the comet at a speed of 23,000 miles per hour, creating a crater and ejecting comet material into space. From a safe distance, the main spacecraft photographed and studied the impact and resulting plume.
Dawn - This mission, launched on 26SEP2007, will orbit two of the largest bodies in the main asteroid belt - Ceres and Vesta. The Dawn spacecraft utilizes solar powered ion thrusters for propulsion. The mission is currently enroot to a 2011 rendezvous with Vesta. The mission will reach Ceres in 2014.
Posted on March 6, 2009
Apollo 9 was launched into Earth orbit on March 3, 1969. Astronauts James McDivitt, Russell Schweickart and David Scott conducted the first manned test of the Lunar Module and the Apollo space suits. Returning to Earth on March 13, 1969, this highly successful mission paved the way for future Apollo missions.
This NASAtelevision video provides a quick overview of the Apollo 9 mission.
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I was a volunteer at the Michigan Space and Science Center from 1996 to 2003. During this time, our premier exhibit was the Apollo 9 space capsule. While at the museum, a fairly comprehensive set of interior photos was taken. Included are photos of control panels, storage areas, navigation equipment, docking tunnel and other areas. These photos may be viewed on the Apollo Capsules page. |
Posted March 3, 2009
