OrbitalHub

November 27, 2012

Active Region 1618

Posted by dj

The Active Region 1618, tracked in magnetic field, 6173A, and AIA 171, from November 15 to November 22, 2012.

Credit: SDO/HMI

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November 23, 2012

Proton-M/Breeze-M Rollout and Launch with EchoStar-16

Posted by dj

On November 20, 2012, a Proton-M/Breeze-M launch vehicle lifted off from Baikonur with a new direct broadcast satellite, EchoStar-16. EchoStar-16 was manufactured by Space Systems / Loral for the North American satellite operator EchoStar.

Credit: Roscosmos

Soyuz Undocking and Landing

Posted by dj

NASA\’s Suni Williams, Aki Hoshide of JAXA and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko landed after spending more than four months aboard the International Space Station.

Credit: NASA/Roscosmos

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November 14, 2012

Partial Solar Eclipses Recorded by Proba-2

Posted by dj

ESA dixit:

The total solar eclipse of 13-14 November 2012 was only visible to ground-based observers situated in northern Australia, while ESA\’s Sun-watching satellite Proba-2 enjoyed three partial eclipses from its viewpoint in space. The constant change in viewing angle of Proba-2 as it orbits the Earth meant that the satellite passed through the Moon\’s shadow a total of three times during the eclipse event. The video was produced from images taken by Proba-2\’s SWAP imager, which snaps the Sun in ultraviolet light to reveal stormy active regions on the solar disc.

The apparent noise in the movie results from high energy particles hitting Proba-2\’s electronics as the spacecraft passes through the South Atlantic Anomaly. The dimming in the movie is an effect as part of the satellite\’s orbit passes through the shadow of the Earth.

Credit: ESA

Cassini Anniversary

Posted by dj

Cassini started its mission 15 years ago and has been exploring the Saturn system since 2004.

Credit: NASA/JPL

Grasshopper Test

Posted by dj

SpaceX dixit:

SpaceX is working to develop vehicles that are fully and rapidly reusable, a key element to radically reducing cost and increasing the efficiency of spaceflight. The 10-story Grasshopper test vehicle consists of a Falcon 9 first stage, a Merlin-1D engine, four steel landing legs, and a steel support structure. It is being tested in successively higher jumps at SpaceX\’s rocket development facility in Texas.

Credit: SpaceX