Testing Our Mega Moon Rocket and Ground Systems
From April 12-14, NASA performed a customized damp gown rehearsal for the agencys Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft on Launch Pad 39B at our Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I Moon mission. The multi-day wet gown wedding rehearsal focused on packing fuel into the rockets core stage tanks, refining countdown procedures, and verifying vital models and software application user interfaces. In addition to the 2 recent test runs for damp gown wedding rehearsal, this customized test enabled groups to practice operations crucial to introduce success ahead of the Artemis I objective.
Continuing to Cool the James Webb Space Telescope
On April 7, the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) aboard the James Webb Space Telescope reached a cooling turning point as it prepares for science this summer season. With the help of a cryocooler, the instrument reached its final operating temperature level of less than 7 kelvins (minus 447 degrees Fahrenheit), thats simply a couple of degrees above the most affordable temperature level matter can reach. Webbs four science instruments, consisting of MIRI, at first cooled down in the shade of the tennis-court-size sunshield, but making the last temperature level drop is vital for the observatorys only mid-infrared instrument that will play a key function in understanding the origins of stars and planets,
Shock-Sensing Flight Instrument for Future X-59 Research
NASA performed a series of flight tests at our Armstrong Flight Research Center in California, to examine improvements made to a shock-sensing probe created to determine the distinct shock waves that our quiet supersonic X-59 airplane will produce throughout flight. The probe was installed on the nose of a NASA F-15 research study airplane to measure shock waves from a NASA F-18, utilizing flight techniques that will check the X-59s shockwaves during the future acoustic recognition phase of quiet supersonic flight.
Hubble Space Telescope Confirms Size of Massive Comet
NASAs Hubble Space Telescope has actually identified the size of the biggest icy comet nucleus ever seen by astronomers. The estimated size of leviathan comet C/2014 UN271 is approximately 80 miles throughout, making it larger than the state of Rhode Island! Utilizing a series of 5 Hubble images taken of the comet in January 2022 combined with a computer model of the surrounding dusty coma, scientists exposed an enormous, however quantifiable, starlike nucleus that has to do with 50 times larger than whats found at the heart of many known comets.
Lucy Spacecraft Obtains New Calibration Images
While the very first test images were taken shortly after launch, the February tests were much more comprehensive. Utilizing its Instrument Pointing Platform, Lucy pointed at 11 various star fields to test camera performance and level of sensitivity, as well as the spacecrafts capability to point properly in different directions.
Thats whats up this week @NASA …
From April 12-14, NASA carried out a customized wet gown wedding rehearsal for the agencys Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft on Launch Pad 39B at our Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I Moon mission. In addition to the 2 current test runs for wet dress practice session, this customized test allowed teams to practice operations critical to launch success ahead of the Artemis I objective.
While the very first test images were taken soon after launch, the February tests were much more substantial. Utilizing its Instrument Pointing Platform, Lucy pointed at 11 different star fields to check electronic camera performance and level of sensitivity, as well as the spacecrafts ability to point properly in various instructions.
Checking our mega Moon rocket and ground systems …
Preparing the James Webb Space Telescope for science …
And checking an instrument for future X-59 research … a few of the stories to tell you about– This Week at NASA!