Data
from Voyager 1, now more than 11 billion miles from the sun, suggest
the spacecraft is closer to becoming the first human-made object to
reach interstellar space.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
European Space Agency Flickr Update
27-06-2013 02:34 PM CEST
This animation shows the Gaia spacecraft spinning in space scanning the sky.
Gaia's mission relies on the systematic and repeating observation of star positions in two fields of view. As the detectors repeatedly measure the position of each celestial object, they will detect any changes in the object's motion through space.
Gaia's mission relies on the systematic and repeating observation of star positions in two fields of view. As the detectors repeatedly measure the position of each celestial object, they will detect any changes in the object's motion through space.
To achieve its mission the spacecraft is spinning slowly, sweeping its two telescopes across the entire celestial sphere to make four complete rotations per day.
Gaia's telescopes point at two different portions of the sky, separated by a constant 106.5°. Therefore, objects arrive in the second field of view 106.5 minutes after they are observed in the first.
Gaia's telescopes point at two different portions of the sky, separated by a constant 106.5°. Therefore, objects arrive in the second field of view 106.5 minutes after they are observed in the first.
Meanwhile its spin axis precesses around the Sun with a period of about 63 days, allowing different parts of the sky to be scanned. This scanning strategy builds up an interlocking grid of positions, providing absolute – rather than relative – values of the stellar positions and motions.
The spacecraft spin axis makes an angle of 45° with the Sun direction, ensuring that the payload is shaded from the Sun, but that the solar arrays can still produce electricity efficiently.
Credits: ESA-C.Carreau
27-06-2013 10:36 AM CEST
ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano snapped this view of moon-set from his privileged position on the International Space Station.
Luca is onboard the orbital outpost as part of ESA's long duration mission, Volare.
If you would like to see more of his images, please visit his dedicated Flickr photostream: Volare Mission.
Credits: ESA/NASA
Luca is onboard the orbital outpost as part of ESA's long duration mission, Volare.
If you would like to see more of his images, please visit his dedicated Flickr photostream: Volare Mission.
Credits: ESA/NASA
Nighttime Image of Texas Cities
One
of the Expedition 36 crew members aboard the International Space
Station, some 240 miles above Earth, used a 50mm lens to record this
oblique nighttime image of a large part of the nation's second largest
state in area, including the four largest metropolitan areas in
population.
Europe bids Gaia a safe journey
Tropical Storm Cosme (Eastern Pacific)
NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission or TRMM satellite captured the third named Eastern Pacific tropical cyclone as it grew to hurricane strength.
Earth from Space
Supernova Remnant G1.9+0.3
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