EPOXI combines two-science investigation in a new mission that re-uses the Deep Impact spacecraft already in orbit around the Sun (“National” 1). EPOCH stands for extra solar planet observation and characterization and DIXI stands for the deep impact extended investigation of comets. Through combining EPOCH and DIXI that is how NASA got EPOXI. EPOXI embraces NASA’s mission to explore the origin and history of our solar system by understanding the composition and diversity of cometary nuclei and the properties of other planetary systems (“National” 1).
EPOXI the flyby spacecraft was not very big but still weighed a lot. It had the dimensions of 10.8 ft. long, 5.6 ft. wide and 7.5 ft. high (“EPOXI” 1). Still, being so small it weighs nearly 601 kilograms, which is nearly 1,325 pounds at launch. Also adding additional weight of 1,140 pounds in spacecraft and 8.8 pounds of fuel remaining (“EPOXI” 1). So, how was EPOXI powered? Well, EPOXI had a 9 by 9 foot solar panel providing up to 750 watts, but it also depends on the distance from the sun. The power for EPOXI comes from 16-amp-hourrechargeable nickel hydrogen battery (“EPOXI” 1).
The EPOXI mission to Comet Hartley launched January 12, 2005 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch vehicle was Delta 11 7925 with Star 48 upper stage (“EPOXI” 1). The flyby of EPOXI went by Comet Hartley 2 at around 10 a.m. EDT or 7a.m. PDT Nov. 4, 2010 and the additional distance traveled by spacecraft to Hartley 2 was about 4.6 billion kilometers (“EPOXI” 1). Not only was the mission far and making several stops but also very expensive. The cost of the deep impact (not including the launch vehicle) was $42 million; including $252 million spacecraft development and $15 mill...
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...ng a new comet. EPOXI has helped NASA researchers learn so much from this mission. As NASA stated “EPOXI embraces NASA’s mission to explore the origin and history of our solar system by understanding the composition and diversity of cometary nuclei and the and the properties of other planetary systems (“National” 1).
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The spacecraft structure greatly influenced the impact of this mission on science history. The spacecraft itself weighed 503 kilograms, or 1,108 pounds. The fuel weighed twenty-nine kilograms, or sixty-four pounds. The adapter weighed thirty kilograms, or sixty-six pounds (Hamilton 1). Measuring the spacecraft diagonally resulted in 1.39 meters, or 4.56 feet. The depth measurements came out to .457 meters, or 1.5 feet (Hamilton 1). Two solar panels were strategically placed on top, both 2.7 meters, otherwise known as 8.86 feet, in perimeter measurements (Hamilton 1). This eight-sided spacecraft was also equipped wi...
On the night of October 1, 1847 Maria Mitchell discovered a comet just above the North Star. But by the time her letter of discovery reached William Bond (director of the Harvard Observatory) Father de Vico at the Vatican Observatory in Rome had already announced his discovery of the same comet on October 3. Professor Bond began a campaign to get Maria her rightful award.
It was November 12 when spacecraft Rosetta caught up with the comet called Churyumov-Gerasimenko better know as 67P (Lauren, 2014). The journey took 6.4 billion miles to complete (Lauren, 2014). Also Rosetta sent a lander called Philae to explore the comet and take picture among other things (Lauren, 2014). Interestingly enough when the media reported the comet landing I thing is trumped Kim kardashian attempt at breaking the internet with her nude photos which the media was cover at about the same time as the comet landing. With all that being said you might be asking why should I care? You should care about this comet because comets came from and can tell us about our solar system, also there has not been any unique and important mission as this one, further more it might be the last space mission we get to experience for a while. Now I am going to get in to what comets are and how they got here and talk a little bit
Launched into orbit on May 15, 1963, Faith 7, with Gordon Cooper, Jr. inside, went around Earth 22 times in 34 and a half hours. On May 16 it too splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean where it was recovered, successfully ending the Mercury Project. The Mercury Project, five years and $392.6 million dollars after it began, came to a close. The entire project was highly successful, achieving both of its goals. It paved the way for the next generation of NASA spacecraft: Gemini.
The sensitive instruments aboard the SOHO spacecraft have already helped scientists here on Earth discover and explain some of the mysteries of the Sun as well as to confirm some of their theories they previously held. For example, in May of 1998 with the help of the Michelson Doppler Interferometer scientists were able to see with greater clarity the giant convective cells inside and on the surface of the Sun.
In 2013, the asteroid Chelyabinsk exploded over Russia, injuring 1,600 people and damaging 7,300 buildings; thankfully the budget for asteroid tracking went from $20 million to $40 million after this catastrophe (3). Situations like these are why we need to make asteroid-redirect spacecraft a top priority. Capitol Hill, however, did not like the ballpark cost that NASA suggested last year, which was about $2 billion (Leone 2). The future of space exploration should start now.
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Our latest mission, SRP4, is a student designed and built payload. It will be carrying a science instrument designed by students and professors at Toyama Prefectual University in Japan. Our goal is to measure the D-region of the ionosphere.
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Research News Planetary Scientists are Seeing the Unseeable Richard A. Kerr Science, New Series, Vol. 235, No. 2 -. 4784. The. Jan. 2, 1987, pp. 113-117. 29-31. The 'Standard' of the 'Standard'. Stable URL:
This project for Earth Science proved to be quite engaging. At first, I thought that the project was going to be long and arduous, however, being able to choose my topic for the project actually helped in galvanizing interest in it. Through this project, I learned a whole lot about the Jovian planets that fascinated me when I was a child. From gargantuan Jupiter, ringed Saturn, peculiar Uranus, and stormy Neptune, I learned many facts that I couldn’t discover outside of Earth Science. I learned many facts like how the Jovian planets got their colors, and whether or not Gas Giants are solely made of gas. I enjoy the fact that we are able to choose what we want to research about, choosing what interests us the most. Thanks to this project, I feel that I know just a bit more about the vast amount of knowledge of our Universe.
Comets have a predictable orbit. There are one thousand comets that have been charted. Some comets go by the sun once and others, which are called periodic comets, pass the sun repeatedly following a predicable pattern. I have chosen a periodic comet called Tempel-Tuttle. Ernst Wilhelm Liebrecht Tempel and Horace Parnell Tuttle discovered this comet. This comet has been witnessed as early as 1366. The best apparition was that of 1366 when it passed 0.
Tyler, Pat. Supernova. NASA’s Heasarc: Education and Public Information. 26 Jan. 2003. 22 Nov. 2004
Space has always been a pivotal and utmost important subject for many years. In the past, scientists have made monumental advances in this field such as sending people into orbit and landing a man on the moon. Of course, this has only barely been explored and we still have a lot more to see of the ever-vast outer space. One of the most significant topics of all of science has only been touched and there’s still more to come.