NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

June 16, 2024

Animation: Black Hole Destroys Star

What happens if a star gets too close to a black hole? The black hole can rip it apart but how? It's not the high gravitational attraction itself that's the problem it's the difference in gravitational pull across the star that creates the destruction. In the featured animated video illustrating this disintegration, you first see a star approaching the black hole. Increasing in orbital speed, the star's outer atmosphere is ripped away during closest approach. Much of the star's atmosphere disperses into deep space, but some continues to orbit the black hole and forms an accretion disk. The animation then takes you into the accretion disk while looking toward the black hole. Including the strange visual effects of gravitational lensing, you can even see the far side of the disk. Finally, you look along one of the jets being expelled along the spin axis. Theoretical models indicate that these jets not only expel energetic gas, but also create energetic neutrinos – one of which may have been seen recently on Earth.

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html?

NASA’s Hubble Restarts Science in New Pointing Mode

JUN 14, 2024

NASA successfully transitioned operations for the agency’s Hubble Space Telescope to an alternate operating mode that uses one gyro, returning the spacecraft to daily science operations Friday.

The telescope and its instruments are stable and functioning normally.

Hubble went into safe mode May 24 due to an ongoing issue with one of its gyroscopes (gyros), which measure the telescope’s slew rates and are part of the system that determines and controls the direction the telescope is pointed.

The gyro had been increasingly returning faulty readings over the past six months, suspending science operations multiple times.

This led the Hubble team to transition from a three-gyro operating mode to observing with only one gyro, enabling more consistent science observations and keeping another operational gyro available for future use.

The agency discussed this transition in detail during a media teleconference June 4.

The team will continue monitoring the problematic gyro to see if it stabilizes and can be used again in the future.

Although there are some minor limitations to observing in one-gyro mode, Hubble can continue doing most of its science observations.

Further refinements to optimize operations are anticipated as the team gains more experience with the one-gyro mode.

Launched in 1990, Hubble has more than doubled its expected design lifetime, and has been observing the universe for more than three decades, recently celebrating its 34th anniversary.

Read more about some of Hubble’s greatest scientific discoveries.

https://science.nasa.gov/missions/hubble/nasas-hubble-restarts-science-in-new-pointing-mode/

Boise native selected to become Major General in U.S. Space Force

1:14 PM MDT June 14, 2024

Maj. Gen.-select James E. Smith, Assistant Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Operations, Cyber and Nuclear will pin a new rank later this month, assuming the new position as Vice Director for Joint Force Development on the Joint Staff.

When Smith assumes this new position, he will be the first Guardian to fill a director or vice director role on the Joint Staff, according to a news release from the Air Force Press Desk.

Smith graduated from Meridian High School in 1991, subsequently graduating as the Top Graduate in 1997 from the the United States Air Force Academy.

He initially joined the Air Force because of his grandfather, who he shares a name with.

In a news release, Smith said, "I found out pretty early at the Air Force Academy I wasn't in love with flying to the same extent as many others, but I really enjoyed the astronautical engineering courses. This led to a masters in Astronautics following graduation from the academy and a 22-year career in the Air Force working space programs and space operations. When the U.S. Space Force was established in 2019, it was a natural transition - and incredible opportunity - to continue working national space issues in a new service with a renewed focus on the criticality of defending our space capabilities."

When asked how his experience growing up in Idaho has shaped his career and perspective, he said that he learned to value freedoms and benefits of our American way of life.

"My experiences reinforced a belief that through hard-work and perseverance, just about any opportunity is open to you.

Importantly, through the example of family, friends and great teachers and mentors, I also learned those freedoms and benefits aren't guaranteed and sometimes sacrifice is required to ensure their preservation," said Smith.

https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/idaho-man-selected-major-general-space-force/277-fee044b9-ee8a-4304-87ff-81d27c5e72ec

Watch This: F-22 Raptors Chase SpaceX Falcon 9 Over Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

June 14, 2024

On Apr. 18, 2024, SpaceX successfully launched the Starlink Group 6-52 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

This mission involved deploying 23 Starlink v2-mini satellites into low Earth orbit, enhancing SpaceX’s second-generation high-speed internet satellite constellation.

The launch utilized a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket, marking its 326th mission and the 40th SpaceX mission of 2024.

The booster, designated B1080, achieved its 7th flight and 297th successful recovery, underscoring yet another success in reusable rocket technology.

The video in this post was shot on that day, during the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for the Starlink mission 6-52 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

The video opens with a view from the cockpit of an F-22 Raptor. The camera angle provides a clear view of the landscape below, the coastal region of Florida near Kennedy Space Center.

At 00:56, as the rocket ignites and lifts off, the F-22s are seen flying in a protective pattern around the launch area.

As the rocket climbed, the two F-22 Raptors escorted the Falcon 9 going vertical in full afterburner up to an altitude of 18,000 feet, providing a breathtaking and unique aerial perspective.

After reaching this altitude, the two 5th generation stealth jets veered off and flew west towards the 2024 Orlando Air Show.

The footage of the F-22s chasing the Falcon 9 rocket up to Class A Airspace was shot from Captain Samuel “RaZZ” Larson’s cockpit, alongside Safety Officer Sawyer Murray in exclusive for Air Dot Show Tour Youtube channel.

https://theaviationist.com/2024/06/14/f-22-raptors-space-x/

Actura New Zealand collapses - Kiwi parents left thousands of dollars out of pocket for space school tours

14 Jun, 2024 11:52 PM

Kiwi families say they have been left thousands of dollars out of pocket after a company organising to send children to a US space camp collapsed.

Actura charged up to $13,000 for children from 25 New Zealand schools to attend a two-week Case Space School Program at the Nasa headquarters in Houston, Texas.

However, parents received an email yesterday morning from company boss Charles Chung that said that Actura Australia had gone into liquidation and that 2024 and 2025 international study programs - including Case Space School, Case Ocean School and Case Film & Arts School expeditions - were cancelled.

“Actura has no financial resources to provide customer refunds,” Chung told parents.

Otago mum Jaimee Scott told the Herald she had paid nearly $9000 for her 15-year-old son to attend a space school in December this year and made an instalment only four days ago.

Scott said the worst part wasn’t the money but the impact on her son who had always dreamed of being an astronaut. “He saved every single penny he had to go towards it and went and got a job,” Scott said.

“We live in a rural town so he got a job at a local pub to pay for this. Everyone was involved and really excited.” “We could have bought him a car or done something else. But it was more the fact that it was his dream.”

Another out-of-pocket parent told the Herald she’d paid nearly $12,000 so far for her daughter to attend the same program. The Auckland mother, who wished to remain anonymous, said her daughter felt guilty over the loss.

“My daughter is devastated. She thinks it is her fault because we paid for her to go,” the parent said. “She is feeling guilty because she told us she wanted to do it and now feels like she has caused lots of problems."

The family learned of the program through the daughter’s high school. Last year, parents at her school had a meeting with staff from Actura who showcased the space camp and shared stories from other students who had attended.

“More than 20 schools each paying thousands of dollars. Where has the money gone?” the mother asked. “If you read the email, they [Actura] have been struggling the last few years…they knew about it for a long time.”

Actura New Zealand has taken down its website and Facebook pages.

“Parents that have paid some or all of their expedition installments via credit card are advised to contact their card issuer to make chargeback claim(s) which may provide for some recovery of costs,” Actura’s email to parents said.

“The company’s cash flow has been severely affected by the compounding financial effects of a precarious recovery from the Covid-19 global pandemic, a large increase in cost of supply coupled with significant reductions in registrations due to the ongoing increases in the costs of living being experienced by families.”

The Herald attempted to email Actura Australia however received the response: “Thank you for your email. Unfortunately Actura has ceased all operations. This inbox is no longer monitored.”

The Herald has attempted to contact several of the schools associated with the program.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/actura-new-zealand-collapses-kiwi-parents-left-thousands-of-dollars-out-of-pocket-for-space-school-tours/BAYFCJXRCRGPNCAAMV2SNXFNEM/