Category: Space Exploration

What Happens to the “Space Junk” that Falls back to Earth?

Post author By Josy O'Donnel
Post date December 10, 2018
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Kessler Syndrome: Explosions of satellites and rocket bodies — In 1978, Donald J. Kessler proposed a scenario: since the spent rockets, satellites and other space trash have accumulated in orbit increasing the likelihood of collision with other debris, these collisions create more debris creating a runaway chain reaction of collisions and even more debris. This scenario is now known as known as the Kessler Syndrome. This domino effect and feedback runaway can create a physically impassable barrier in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to space exploration that occurs in higher orbits. Donald J. Kessler, then an astrophysicist working at NASA, demonstrated that once the amount of debris in a particular orbit reaches critical mass, collision cascading begins even if no more objects are launched into the orbit. Once collisional cascading begins, the risk to satellites and spacecraft increases until the orbit is no longer usable. Kessler proposed it would take 30 to 40 years for such a threshold to be reached. Today, interestingly exactly 40 years later Kessler demonstrated his theory, some experts think we are already at critical mass in low-Earth orbit (LEO). So far, about 200 explosions and at least 5 collisions in space have occurred. Further explosions and collisions are very likely. The explosions are mainly caused by onboard energy sources, either due to pressure build-up in propellant tanks, battery explosions, or the ignition of hypergolic fuels. Each explosion creates thousands of small debris objects. Image Credit: ESA

In 1908, a flaming meteor fell through the Earth’s atmosphere and exploded above the Stony Tunguska River in the Siberian forest. The result was shocking: 80 million trees over 820 square miles were blown over like toothpicks and mankind began to fear destruction from outer space. A century later, it seems this fear should be focused not on natural objects from the heavens. Rather, a greater danger to man is the human-made debris orbiting the earth. This “space junk” threatens the Earth’s environment in several ways.

Space Exploration

Astronaut Chris Hadfield explains the Soyuz MS-11 launch

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date December 5, 2018
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Chris Hadfield explains Soyuz MS-11 Launch — Chris Hadfield explains what happens when fellow Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques, Russian astronaut Oleg Kononenko and American astronaut Anne McClain are launched into space aboard a Soyuz rocket en route to the International Space Station. Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan atop a Soyuz-FG rocket on December 3, 2018, carrying NASA astronaut Anne McClain, Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko. It was the first manned launch since the Soyuz MS-10 spaceflight aborted shortly after launch on 11 October 2018 due to a failure of the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle boosters. The spacecraft successfully docked to the ISS about six hour after the launch.

Canadian retired astronaut, engineer, and former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot Chris Hadfield explains the Soyuz MS-11 launch which happened on December 3, 2018.

It is great to listen to such an experienced astronaut explaining what happens during the launch, what astronauts feel, etc.

Space Exploration Earth from Space

Soyuz MS-11 Launch and Dock as seen from the ISS

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date December 4, 2018
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Soyuz MS-11 Launch from the ISS, December 3, 2018. European Space Agency astronaut aboard the International Space Station, Alexander Gerst photographed the launch and the docking from the ISS. Photograph: Alexander Gerst on Twitter

On December 3, 2018, a Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, carrying NASA astronaut Anne McClain, Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko. It was the first manned launch since the Soyuz MS-10 spaceflight aborted shortly after launch on 11 October 2018 due to a failure of the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle boosters (see notes 1). It was the 100th orbital launch of 2018.

Soyuz MS-11 successfully docked to the ISS about six hours after the launch.

European Space Agency astronaut aboard the International Space Station, Alexander Gerst photographed the launch and the docking from the ISS and published these amazing photos on his Twitter account.

Moon Landing Space Exploration

Neil Armstrong’s Parents at I’ve Got a Secret [Video]

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date November 30, 2018
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On September 17, 1962, Neil Armstrong’s parents, Stephen Koenig Armstrong and Viola Louise Engel Armstrong joined “I’ve Got a Secret”, a panel game show produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman for CBS television. They had a “secret” that their son just became an astronaut for NASA on that day, one of the nine newly chosen men for future space missions.

Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong whispers to the Host Garry Moore’s ears their secret: “Our Son became an astronaut today”.

A few minutes later, Moore asks an incredible question: “Now, how would you feel, Mrs. Armstrong, if it turned out – of course, nobody knows – but if it turns out that your son is the first man to land on the moon? What, how do, how would you feel?” He asks this nearly seven years before it actually happened on July 20, 1969! Neil’s mother’s reply is priceless, “Well, guess I’d just say god bless him and I wish him the best of all good luck.”

Space Exploration Mars

InSight Mission Raw Images are available on the web

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date November 29, 2018
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InSight image acquired on November 27, 2018, Sol 1 (cropped) — NASA's InSight Mars lander acquired this image using its robotic arm-mounted, Instrument Deployment Camera (IDC). This image was acquired on November 27, 2018, Sol 1 where the local mean solar time for the image exposures was 13:32:45. Each IDC image has a field of view of 45 x 45 degrees. This is a cropped photo. You can see the raw image on NASA/JPL-Caltech webpage.

NASA’s InSight Mars Lander (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy, and Heat Transport – InSight) was launched on 5 May 2018 at 11:05 UTC aboard an Atlas V-401 rocket. It traveled 483 million kilometers (300 million miles) in almost six months and successfully landed at Elysium Planitia on Mars on 26 November 2018 at 19:52:59 UTC. Shortly after landing, it has sent back the first photo. Now, NASA publishes InSight Mission raw images on its website, you can see them any time you want on the mission’s multimedia webpage.

Earth from Space Space Exploration

Space Shuttle Endeavour over Cook Strait

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date November 28, 2018
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This amazing photo was taken from the International Space Station showing the Space Shuttle Endeavour over Cook Strait, New Zealand. It was taken on November 25, 2002, as the space shuttle approaches the International Space Station (ISS) during STS-113 rendezvous and docking operations.

Earth from Space Space Exploration

The longest continuous timelapse from the ISS (video)

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date November 27, 2018
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Horizons Mission Timelapse, from USA to Africa — European Space Agency has published an amazing time-lapse video showing the Earth from the International Space Station (ISS). The space agency wrote *"Join ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst for a quick flight from the USA to Africa aboard the International Space Station in this time-lapse filmed 12.5 times faster than actual speed."* In the footage, which is sped up by a factor of 12.5, the space station passes over the U.S. and Africa and covers around 8,700 miles (14,000 kilometers). *"Seen from a distance our planet is just a blue dot, a fragile spaceship for humankind. We need to understand the Universe we live in to protect our home."* --Alexander Gerst

To celebrate the 20th birthday of the International Space Station (ISS), the European Space Agency (ESA) published the longest continuous time-lapse video from the orbiting laboratory. In just under 15 minutes, this 4K HD video below takes us from Tunisia across Beijing and through Australia in two trips around the world. You can follow the ISS’s location using the map at the top right-hand side of the screen alongside annotations on the photos themselves.

Earth from Space Space Exploration

A Complete Orbit Around Earth from the ISS in Real-Time [Video]

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date November 27, 2018
1 Comment on A Complete Orbit Around Earth from the ISS in Real-Time [Video]

Earth from ISS — "Orbit" shows a complete orbit around Earth from the ISS in real time. It is a real-time reconstruction of time-lapse photography taken on board the International Space Station by NASA's Earth Science & Remote Sensing Unit. The ISS maintains an orbit with an altitude of between 330 and 435 km (205 and 270 mi) by means of reboost maneuvres using the engines of the Zvezda module or visiting spacecraft. It completes 15.54 orbits per day.

Videos that contain images of the Earth taken aboard the International Space Station are usually time-lapse (see notes 1), but this amazing HD video below, titled “Orbit” shows a complete orbit around Earth from the ISS in real-time. A breathtaking 92-minute and 39-second show of the beauty and majesty of our planet from 250 miles (400 km) above.

Mars Earth from Space Space Exploration

Earth, a “Bright Evening Star” as seen from Mars

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date November 23, 2018
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PIA17936: Earth from Mars by the Curiosity Rover (January 31, 2014) — This view of the twilight sky and Martian horizon was taken by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover includes Earth as the brightest point of light in the night sky. Earth is a little left of center in the image, and our moon is just below Earth. Researchers used the left eye camera of Curiosity's Mast Camera (Mastcam) to capture this scene about 80 minutes after sunset on the 529th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars (Jan. 31, 2014). The image has been processed to remove the effects of cosmic rays. A human observer with normal vision, if standing on Mars, could easily see Earth and the moon as two distinct, bright "evening stars." The distance between Earth and Mars when Curiosity took the photo was about 99 million miles (160 million kilometers). Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/TAMU

On January 31, 2014, about 80 minutes after sunset on its 529th Martian day (or sol), NASA’s Curiosity Rover has turned its camera back home and took this amazing photo of Earth and Moon from a distance of around 99 million miles (160 million kilometers). In the image which has the serial number PIA17936, Earth can be seen as the brightest point of light in the night sky, a little left of the center of the photo, and our Moon appears just below Earth.

Earth from Space Space Exploration

Amazing ISS timelapse of Progress MS-10 launch (video)

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date November 23, 2018
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Progress MS-10 Launch as seen from the ISS — A Russian cargo mission departed from the Baikonur Cosmodrome to deliver fuel and other supplies to the International Space Station. A Soyuz FG rocket with the Progress MS-10 spacecraft lifted off on Nov. 16, 2018, at 21:14 Moscow Time (1:14 p.m. EDT). The launch also marked the return to flight of the Soyuz-FG rocket variant after its launch failure with the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft on Oct. 11, 2018. The cargo ship successfully docked at ISS on November 18.

This wonderful 4K ultra-HD time-lapse video below shows the launch of the Progress MS-10 spacecraft (identified by NASA as Progress 71 or 71P) as seen by the International Space Station (ISS). The resupply mission departed from Baikonur Cosmodrome on November 16, 2018, to deliver fuel and other supplies to the ISS.