OrbitalHub

Wikipedia dixit:

“The Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) is a consolidated system intended to meet the United States’ infrared space surveillance needs through the first two to three decades of the 21st century. The SBIRS program is designed to provide key capabilities in the areas of missile warning, missile defense and battlespace characterization.

SBIRS is an integrated “system of systems” that will include satellites in geosynchronous orbit (GEO), sensors hosted on satellites in highly elliptical orbit (HEO), and ground-based data processing and control. A complement of satellites in low earth orbit was planned as part of the program (SBIRS Low), but this has been moved into the STSS program. SBIRS ground software integrates infrared sensor programs of the U.S. Air Force (USAF) with new IR sensors. SBIRS continues to struggle with cost overruns, with Nunn-McCurdy breaches occurring in 2001 and 2005. By September 2007, the expected project cost had increased to $10.4 billion. The original contract consisted of 2 HEO satellite sensors and 2-3 GEO sensors (and satellites) with an option to buy a total of 5 GEOs. In December 2005, following the third SBIRS Nunn-McCurdy violation, the government decided to compete GEO 4 and 5, with an option to buy the GEO 3 contingent based on the performance of the first two. Additionally, the government started a potential SBIRS High replacement program, writing out proposals in June 2006.

On June 2, 2009 Lockheed Martin announced it had been awarded a contract for the third HEO payload and the third GEO satellite, and for associated ground equipment modifications. On July 10, 2009, Lockheed Martin was awarded $262.5 million as down payment by the USAF towards the purchase of a fourth satellite. The first GEO satellite of the SBIRS program, GEO-1, was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral on an Atlas V rocket on May 7, 2011.

In summary, as of January 2017, a total of nine satellites carrying SBIRS or STSS payloads had been launched: GEO-1 (USA-230, 2011), GEO-2 (USA-241, 2013), GEO-3 (USA-273, 2017), HEO-1 (USA-184, 2006), HEO-2 (USA-200, 2008), HEO-3 (USA-259, 2014), STSS-ATRR (USA-205, 2009), STSS Demo 1 (USA-208, 2009) and STSS Demo 2 (USA-209, 2009). In June 2014, Lockheed Martin was contracted by the USAF to build GEO-5 and GEO-6, at a cost of $1.86 billion.”

Video credit: ULA

Coalition for Deep Space Exploration dixit:

“It is with great sadness and profound gratitude that the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration notes the passing of Apollo Astronaut Captain Eugene “Gene” Cernan on Monday, January 16. He was 82.

Known for his continued support of human space exploration, Capt. Cernan left his mark on history with three historical space missions as the Pilot of Gemini IX, the Lunar Module Pilot of Apollo X and the Commander of Apollo XVII. He holds the distinction of being the second American to walk in space and the last man to walk on the Moon. Cernan received numerous honors throughout his 20 years as a Naval Aviator including the Navy Distinguished Flying Cross, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the FAI International Gold Medal for Space, induction into the U.S. Space Hall of Fame, enshrinement into the National Aviation Hall of Fame, Naval Aviation’s Hall of Honor and the International Aerospace Hall of Fame. Recently, Cernan authored the book, “The Last Man on the Moon” and participated in the 2016 documentary of the same name which detailed his influential role in the space industry.

Reflecting on Gene Cernan’s life, it’s easy to see he was a true American hero and one of our greatest pioneers for human space exploration. Although Capt. Cernan was the last man to walk on the Moon, he certainly didn’t want to be the last as he spent recent years inspiring future generations and encouraging the U.S. government to return America to its prominent role in human deep space exploration, said Dr. Mary Lynne Dittmar, Executive Director of the Coalition. On behalf of the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration, I offer our most sincere condolences to Capt. Cernan’s family and pray that his passion for exploration will continue to be an inspiration to us all.“

Video credit: NASA

NASA dixit:

“Outside the International Space Station, Expedition 50 Commander Shane Kimbrough of NASA and Flight Engineer Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency conducted a spacewalk in U.S. spacesuits to upgrade the system for the 1A power channel of the orbital laboratory’s starboard 4 (S4) truss solar arrays. Moving adapter plates and batteries, Kimbrough completed the work to hook up electrical connections for the last three of six new lithium-ion batteries recently delivered to the station, and to move the last of the old nickel-hydrogen batteries that will be stored on the station. It was the second spacewalk in a week for Kimbrough and the fourth of his career, and the first for Pesquet in the refurbishment of two of the station’s eight power channels. On Jan. 6, Kimbrough and Flight Engineer Peggy Whitson of NASA conducted similar work for the 3A power channel of the station’s S4 solar arrays.”

Video credit: NASA

NASA dixit:

“On the International Space Station, Expedition 50 Commander Shane Kimbrough and Flight Engineer Peggy Whitson of NASA floated outside the Quest airlock for a spacewalk to complete half of the work involved to swap out nickel-hydrogen batteries on the station’s truss with new lithium-ion batteries. Kimbrough and Whitson installed adapter plates on the truss and hooked up electrical cables as part of a complex robotics and spacewalk plan to shore up the station’s power supply for the future. It was the third spacewalk of Kimbrough’s career and the seventh for Whitson, who equaled the mark for most spacewalks by a woman previously set by NASA’s Suni Williams. Kimbrough will venture outside the station again on Jan. 13 with Flight Engineer Thomas Pesquet of ESA (European Space Agency) to continue and complete the battery work.”

Video credit: NASA

Wikipedia dixit:

“The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is a space telescope that was launched into low Earth orbit in 1990, and remains in operation. Although not the first space telescope, Hubble is one of the largest and most versatile, and is well known as both a vital research tool and a public relations boon for astronomy. The HST is named after the astronomer Edwin Hubble, and is one of NASA’s Great Observatories, along with the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and the Spitzer Space Telescope.

With a 2.4-meter (7.9 ft) mirror, Hubble’s four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared spectra. Hubble’s orbit outside the distortion of Earth’s atmosphere allows it to take extremely high-resolution images, with substantially lower background light than ground-based telescopes. Hubble has recorded some of the most detailed visible light images ever, allowing a deep view into space and time. Many Hubble observations have led to breakthroughs in astrophysics, such as accurately determining the rate of expansion of the universe.

The HST was built by the United States space agency NASA, with contributions from the European Space Agency. The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) selects Hubble’s targets and processes the resulting data, while the Goddard Space Flight Center controls the spacecraft.

Space telescopes were proposed as early as 1923. Hubble was funded in the 1970s, with a proposed launch in 1983, but the project was beset by technical delays, budget problems, and the Challenger disaster (1986). When finally launched in 1990, Hubble’s main mirror was found to have been ground incorrectly, compromising the telescope’s capabilities. The optics were corrected to their intended quality by a servicing mission in 1993.

Hubble is the only telescope designed to be serviced in space by astronauts. After launch by Space Shuttle Discovery in 1990, four subsequent Space Shuttle missions repaired, upgraded, and replaced systems on the telescope, including all five of the main instruments. A fifth mission was canceled on safety grounds following the Columbia disaster (2003). However, after spirited public discussion, NASA administrator Mike Griffin approved one final servicing mission, completed in 2009. The telescope is operating as of 2016, and could last until 2030–2040. Its scientific successor, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), is scheduled for launch in 2018.”

Video credit: NASA Goddard

Wikipedia dixit:

“The lunar phase or phase of the moon is the shape of the illuminated (sunlit) portion of the Moon as seen by an observer on Earth. The lunar phases change cyclically as the Moon orbits the Earth, according to the changing positions of the Moon and Sun relative to the Earth. The Moon’s rotation is tidally locked by the Earth’s gravity, therefore the same lunar surface always faces Earth. This face is variously sunlit depending on the position of the Moon in its orbit. Therefore, the portion of this hemisphere that is visible to an observer on Earth can vary from about 100% (full moon) to 0% (new moon). The lunar terminator is the boundary between the illuminated and darkened hemispheres. Each of the four “intermediate” lunar phases is roughly seven days (~7.4 days) but this varies slightly due to the elliptical shape of the Moon’s orbit. Aside from some craters near the lunar poles such as Shoemaker, all parts of the Moon see around 14.77 days of sunlight, followed by 14.77 days of “night”.”

Video credit: NASA Goddard