Week #1: 29.01.18 – 04.02.18
This weeks launches:
31.01.18 22:25 MEZ: Space X Falcon 9 Full Thrust from CAPE CANAVERAL AFS SLC-40 The last space X launch before the Falcon heavy launch delivered a communications satellite for LuxGovSat it is intended to stay in orbit for 15 years. The launch got delayed by 24 hours because a second stage sensor had to be replaced.
01.02.18 03:07 MEZ: Soyus-2.1 a/Fregnat launched from Vastochny Cosmodrome and delivered two Kanopus satellite into orbit, used to monitor manmade and natural emergencies.
02.02.18 08:50 MEZ: A Long March 2D rocket launched from Jiuquan China and delivered a satellite into orbit studying the ionospheric precursers of earthquakes. Its also able to study solar-terrestrial interactions and solar physics.
03.02.18 18:30 MEZ: The smallest rocket to deliver a satellite to space SS-520-5 was launched. It took 5 min to place the satellite into orbit. Its purpose is to study the earth.
This weeks sky:
31.01.17/01.02.17: A super blue blood moon visible from Asia, Australia, the Pacific Ocean and western North America. A super moon occurs when the moon is at its closest point to earth, blue moon because its the second full moon this month and blood moon because its a lunar eclipse.
Random space news:
#1 Free satellite internet?
A company called Quika promises a free satellite broadband service for third world countries. They want to launch their internet service this spring in Afghanistan and Iraq and plans to reach nearly half of all African nations this summer. Initial customers could have to pay a deposit of up to $350 for self-installable user terminals. And have the option to upgrade for faster internet, higher data caps and to remove ads. This service is going to be the first of its kind. Here you can read more on the topic.
#2 How an amateur astronomer found a long lost Nasa satellite.
Scott Tilley was looking for the "lost" spy satellite Zuma when he found another signal from something called IMAGE.
"I did a little Googling and discovered that it had been 'Lost in Space' since December 18, 2005 after just dropping off the grid suddenly" ~ Scott Tilley
"The NASA failure review did however conclude that it was possible for the spacecraft to be revived by permitting a 'Transponder SSPC reset' after it passed through eclipse in 2007. One must assume that didn't occur in 2007 and they gave up" ~ Scott Tilley
On January 30th NASA has been able to read some basic data from the spacecraft, wich means that the main control system is still operational.
IMAGE was a satellit launched in 2000 for a two year mission but was used till 2005 whe they lost the signal. Its task was to image the Earth's magnetosphere, The technologie for the IMAGE satellite isnt used anymore so Nasa faces some new challenges there.
Image Credit: nasa.gov
#3 Japan launched the samallest rocket to carry a satellite into orbit.
A modified sounding rocket with a third stage delivered a three kilos satellite into low earth orbit. The satellite is euiped with a set of cameras to study the earth. Launches like these could bring the price for cubesats and could allow smaller companies to place their satellites into orbit.
The experiment of the week:
How does a plant know in which way it has to grow roots in space?
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/Putting_Down_Roots_In_Space