OrbitalHub

March 23, 2013

Planck Power Spectrum Animation

Posted by dj

ESA dixit:

“This animation explains how the wealth of information that is contained in the all-sky map of temperature fluctuations in the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) can be condensed into a curve known as the power spectrum.

The temperature of the CMB exhibits fluctuations on a variety of angular scales on the sky. The animation shows six different maps that depict the relative \’power\’, or strength, of the fluctuations at different angular scales. The maps correspond to different regions of the curve, starting at angles of ninety degrees on the left side of the graph, through to the smallest scales — just a fraction of a degree — on the right hand side.

By studying the peaks in the power spectrum curve, cosmologists can extract information regarding the ingredients of the Universe, such as ordinary matter, dark matter and dark energy, and the overall geometry of the Universe.”

Credit: ESA and the Planck Collaboration

Merlin 1D Engine Flight Qualification Test

Posted by dj

SpaceX dixit:

“The SpaceX Merlin 1D engine has achieved flight qualification, a major milestone for the next generation Merlin engine. Through a 28 test qualification program, the Merlin 1D accumulated 1,970 seconds of total test time, the equivalent run time of over 10 full mission durations, and is now fully qualified to fly on the Falcon 9 rocket.”

Credit: SpaceX

Happy Birthday SpaceX!

Posted by dj

On March 14, SpaceX turned eleven.

Soyuz TMA-06M Undocking and Landing

Posted by dj

NASA dixit:

“Expedition 34 Commander Kevin Ford of NASA, Soyuz Commander Oleg Novitskiy and Russian Flight Engineer Evgeny Tarelkin landed safely in their Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft on the steppe of Kazakhstan near the town of Arkalyk. They are shown being assisted into reclining chairs by Russian personnel and beginning their adaptation to gravity after they were extracted from their capsule.”

Credit: NASA / Roscosmos

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March 13, 2013

SpaceX\’s Grasshopper Hover Slam

Posted by dj

SpaceX dixit:

“SpaceX\’s Grasshopper doubled its highest leap to date to rise 24 stories or 80.1 meters (262.8 feet), hovering for approximately 34 seconds and landing safely using closed loop thrust vector and throttle control. Grasshopper consists of a Falcon 9 first stage and is 33.5 meters tall (110 feet). For perspective a 6 ft mannequin cowboy is on the rocket.”

Credit: SpaceX

Expandable Activity Modules

Posted by dj

NASA dixit:

“NASA has awarded a $17.8 million contract to Bigelow Aerospace to provide a Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM), which is scheduled to arrive at the space station in 2015 for a two-year technology demonstration. The BEAM is scheduled to launch aboard the eighth SpaceX cargo resupply mission to the station contracted by NASA, currently planned for 2015. After the module is berthed to the station\’s Tranquility node, the station crew will activate a pressurization system to expand the structure to its full size using air stored within the packed module. Astronauts periodically will enter the module to gather performance data and perform inspections. Following the test period, the module will be jettisoned from the station, burning up on re-entry.”

Credit: NASA