TYB
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
Feb 3, 2024
Apollo 14: A View from Antares
Apollo 14's Lunar Module Antares landed on the Moon on February 5, 1971. Toward the end of the stay astronaut Ed Mitchell snapped a series of photos of the lunar surface while looking out a window, assembled into this detailed mosaic by Apollo Lunar Surface Journal editor Eric Jones. The view looks across the Fra Mauro highlands to the northwest of the landing site after the Apollo 14 astronauts had completed their second and final walk on the Moon. Prominent in the foreground is their Modular Equipment Transporter, a two-wheeled, rickshaw-like device used to carry tools and samples. Near the horizon at top center is a 1.5 meter wide boulder dubbed Turtle rock. In the shallow crater below Turtle rock is the long white handle of a sampling instrument, thrown there javelin-style by Mitchell. Mitchell's fellow moonwalker and first American in space, Alan Shepard, also used a makeshift six iron to hit two golf balls. One of Shepard's golf balls is just visible as a white spot below Mitchell's javelin.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html?
Hubble Sees a Merged Galaxy
FEB 02, 2024
This new NASA Hubble Space Telescope image shows ESO 185-IG013, a luminous blue compact galaxy (BCG). BCGs are nearby galaxies that show an intense burst of star formation. They are unusually blue in visible light, which sets them apart from other high-starburst galaxies that emit more infrared light. Astrophysicists study BCGs because they provide a relatively close-by equivalent for galaxies from the early universe. This means that BCGs can help scientists learn about galaxy formation and evolution that may have been happening billions of years ago.
Hubble imaged ESO 185-IG013 in ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelengths to reveal details about its past. Hundreds of young star clusters, many of which are younger than 100 million years, populate the galaxy. A large number of star clusters are only 3.5 million years old – relative infants compared to the timescale of our universe. Scientists predict that many of these youngest clusters will not last, since young clusters can often perish after expelling too much of their gas. The large number of young star clusters indicates that this galaxy was part of a recent galaxy collision and merger. The perturbed structure of the galaxy, which likely occurred from the violent interactions of gas and dust during the collision, is another sign. The merger supplied the system with lots of fuel for star formation, which continues to take place today.
ESO 185-IG013 also contains a tidal shell, the diffuse glow surrounding its bright center, which is a common signal of galaxy mergers. Scientists believe that in a galaxy merger, the smaller of the two interacting galaxies gets disrupted by the larger galaxy, losing most of its material. This releases the material, which then gets pulled in again by the gravity of the larger galaxy. The dense area where the material gets repositioned is called the shell, and it contains many star clusters. In addition to the shell, ESO 185-IG013 boasts a tail of gas in the northeast.
All of the stars in the system have a combined mass more than 7 billion times that of our Sun. The system is located about 260 million light-years away.
https://science.nasa.gov/missions/hubble/hubble-sees-a-merged-galaxy/
Space Systems Command formally welcomes new commander
Feb. 1, 2024
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – During a formal ceremony on Feb. 1 at Space Systems Command (SSC) headquarters on Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, California, U.S. Space Force Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant assumed command from U.S. Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein.
Officiating the ceremony was the Chief of Space Operations U.S. Space Force Gen. Chance Saltzman, who praised Guetlein’s leadership while serving as the first commander of SSC.
“For the last few years, this command has continued to fast-track space innovation under the leadership of its first and only commander, Gen. Mike Guetlein,” said Saltzman. “This team’s many historic achievements since its stand-up are a testament to the talent and the determinization of our Guardians…and equally as important, are a testament to the leadership of your commander.”
Saltzman spoke highly of the efforts SSC Guardians played in delivering capabilities to warfighters that keep our Nation’s competitive advantage in space and shared his continued confidence of what the command will deliver under Garrant’s leadership.
“…Phil has served with great distinction throughout his career,” said Saltzman. “With an outstanding track record of accomplishments, a steadfast focus on the future, and a relentless dedication to our mission, Phil embodies the qualities and values needed to lead Space Systems Command to the next stage of its evolution.”
With this change of command, Garrant became the second commander of SSC and is responsible for leading a global workforce of more than 15,000 military, civilian, and contractor personnel, as well as overseeing an annual $15.6 billion space acquisition budget, which ensures premier space capabilities are delivered timely to counter the threats in today's and tomorrow's contested space domain.
Garrant thanked the CSO for the trust and confidence placed in him to lead SSC and mentioned he wants to hear ideas, concerns and share his vision as he travels throughout the command.
“For now, as a command we will be focused on General Saltzman’s theory of success, Secretary [Frank] Kendall’s call to re-optimize for the great power competition, and continuing the organizational design our leadership envisions,” said Garrant. “To that end, we will continue shaping what SSC is intended to become with mission capability-based IMDs [Integrated Mission Deltas] and SYDs [System Deltas], while continuing our focus on culture, speed, and growing our most important resource…you.”
In his address to SSC, Garrant further expounded upon how the command’s drive through change, a continuing initiative since inception, allowed the organization to fortify its posture as a premiere field command.
“I know this change is hard, but…so is acquisition, and you’re great at that," Garrant said. “My promise to you is to lead and communicate with you. My attention will be on ensuring our acquisition and ops programs have the command support they need for success.”
While commander, Guetlein, the Space Force’s newest Vice Chief of Space Operations, oversaw a profound culture shift in the way SSC operated at all levels, driving optimization for a leaner, faster, and more resilient force.
“Two and a half years ago we stood up Space Systems Command…and I challenged each of you to come to work each day with a single focus,” said Guetlein. “That single focus was to get after the threat…and it is prevalent in the way you approach your day-to-day jobs and in everything this command does.”
Guetlein mentioned that serving as the SSC commander had been one of the greatest achievements of his career and that what the team accomplished, since activation, bolstered the Space Force’s posture to get after threats in space and helped foster partnerships that ensure interoperability and maximum commitment toward resilient systems architectures.
Garrant’s dedicated service to acquisition dates to 1992 when he started his career as a Systems Engineer then Program Manager for the Document and Data Networks Division, National Security Agency at Fort Meade, Maryland. Following this assignment, he went on to serve in a variety of acquisition positions including Systems Engineer, Program Manager, Program Element Monitor, Squadron Commander, Senior Materiel Leader, Deputy Program Executive Officer, and Program Executive.
Prior to taking command, Garrant served as the Space Force’s Deputy Chief of Space Operations, Strategy, Plans, Programs, and Requirements, at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.
https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/Newsroom/Article-Display/Article/3664314/space-systems-command-formally-welcomes-new-commander
Eutelsat stops services on aging satellite following anomaly
February 2, 2024
Eutelsat said Feb. 2 it has stopped providing services from an aging geostationary satellite over the Americas following an unspecified anomaly.
The 18-year-old Eutelsat 113 West A satellite had been providing video, data, and government services from an inclined orbit at 113 degrees West, three years after the end of its design life.
The satellite was not carrying insurance at the time the anomaly hit Jan. 31, the French fleet operator said, but was only due to provide around three million euros ($3.2 million) in revenues over the next five months. Eutelsat said it had expected to get between five and six million euros out of the satellite annually over the following four years.
Mitigation actions underway include transferring customers to nearby satellites that Eutelsat operates at 115 degrees and 117 degrees West.
Eutelsat 113 West A (aka ex-Satmex 6) was built by Space Systems Loral — now Maxar Technologies — and had 18 operational transponders operating in the C- and Ku-bands.
The operator said in a brief news announcement that it is “deploying all possible efforts to mitigate the potential adverse consequences on orbital safety,” without saying whether it has lost complete control of the spacecraft.
Eutelsat spokesperson Joanna Darlington said via email it is too early in the diagnostic process to tell whether the company will be able to ultimately de-orbit the satellite.
https://spacenews.com/eutelsat-stops-services-on-aging-satellite-following-anomaly/