OrbitalHub

The objectives that ESA set for the Herschel Space Observatory are ambitious: the study of the galaxies in the early universe, the investigation of the creation of stars, the observation of the chemical composition of the atmosphere and surfaces of comets, planets and satellites, as well as examining the molecular chemistry of the universe.

Herschel will observe the sky from the second Lagrangean Point (L2) of the Sun-Earth system. The instruments onboard Herschel will collect long-wavelength infrared radiation. Herschel will be the only space observatory to cover the spectral range from the far infrared to sub-millimeter.

Read more about Herschel…

Credits: NASA

Carnival of Space #101 is hosted by David Portree at Robot Explorers.

This week you can read about dark matter, the Hubble space telescope, solar sails, maverick scientists, near Earth objects, and much more.

Credits: SpaceX

The Draco thruster and the Draco propulsion tank completed qualification tests at the SpaceX Test Facility in McGregor, Texas.

The certification test included 42 firings with over 4,600 pulses of varying lengths. The tests are performed in a vacuum test chamber in order to simulate the space environment. The total firing time on a single thruster was over 50 minutes.

“The Draco thrusters allow Dragon to maneuver in close proximity to the ISS in preparation for berthing or docking,” said Tom Mueller VP Propulsion, SpaceX. “Maximum control during these procedures is critical for the safety of the station and its inhabitants.”

The Dragon spacecraft utilizes 18 Draco thrusters for maneuvering, attitude control, and to initiate the return to Earth. One important characteristic of the thrusters is that they are powered by storable propellants with long on-orbit lifetimes. This will allow the Dragon spacecraft to remain berthed at the International Space Station for up to a year.

The inaugural flight of Falcon 9 is scheduled for late 2009 from SpaceX’s launch site in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Dragon spacecraft can carry up to seven passengers in crew configuration. SpaceX also claims fully autonomous rendezvous and docking capabilities for the Dragon spacecraft. Falcon 9 is a two-stage launch vehicle powered by liquid oxygen and rocket grade kerosene. Nine Merlin engines power the first stage of the launcher. The second stage of the Falcon 9 launcher is powered by one Merlin engine.

For more information about SpaceX and the Dragon/Falcon 9 launch system, you can visit the SpaceX website.