Online Cortex » Probe

India Launches Moon Mission

drknuth — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 03:06:16 +0000

Today India launched its first moon mission. The lunar orbiter named Chandrayaan-1, which is Sanskrit for “Moon Craft” was launched from the Sriharikota space center in southern India. Chandrayaan-1 will join the Japanese lunar orbiter Kaguya launched in October 2007 and the Chinese orbiter Chang’e-1.

More here…

Kevin Knuth
Albany NY

Phoenix from Space

drknuth — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 04:15:37 +0000

Two great images from the HiRISE camera!

This is the Phoenix probe parachuting into Mars’ north polar region from orbit with Heimdall Crater in the background. A larger image can be seen at Astronomy Picture of the Day.

This image shows the Phoenix probe on the ground.

At this point, a camera under Phoenix may have found a hard icy substrate underlying the topsoil (story here).

Kevin Knuth
Albany NY

Phoenix Images

drknuth — Mon, 26 May 2008 02:32:18 +0000

These guys are publishing these images faster than I can blog!

This image shows the horizon. This is again a very flat region, but there is interesting patterning on the surface. Perhaps this is due to freezing/thawing mechanisms.

Here is the link to the incoming images at the Phoenix Mission site.

Enjoy!
Kevin Knuth
Albany NY

Phoenix Footpad Image!

drknuth — Mon, 26 May 2008 02:26:23 +0000

Here is the first image back from Phoenix.

It is an image of the footpad. Clearly, the proble has landed on a level surface. No obvious sign of ice… yet?

Kevin Knuth
Albany NY

Phoenix Probe Lands on Mars

drknuth — Mon, 26 May 2008 02:19:43 +0000

At 4:53:44 p.m. Pacific Time (7:53:44 p.m. Eastern Time) NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory received radio signals from the Mars Phoenix Lander confirming that it survived its landing in the north polar region of Mars.

The probe enters the Martian atmosphere at about 78 miles above the surface and begins decelerating from its space cruise velocity of 12,500 miles per hour down to Mach 1.7 (1.7 times the speed of sound) when its parachute deployed. The parachute is jettisoned at 1 km above the surface when the probe fires its rocket thrusters to decelerate it further until it reaches either 12 meters altitude or a speed of 5 miles per hour. At this point the rocket engines stop and the probe drops to the surface.

Above is an artist’s conception.
I cant wait to see how it really will look!
Tomorrow…

Check the Phoenix Mission Site for updates!

Kevin Knuth
Albany NY