NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

August 17, 2024

Sky Full of Arcs

On August 11 a Rocket Lab Electron rocket launched from a rotating planet. With a small satellite on board its mission was dubbed A Sky Full of SARs (Synthetic Aperture Radar satellites), departing for low Earth orbit from Mahia Peninsula on New Zealand's north island. The fiery trace of the Electron's graceful launch arc is toward the east in this southern sea and skyscape, a composite of 50 consecutive frames taken over 2.5 hours. Fixed to a tripod, the camera was pointing directly at the South Celestial Pole, the extension of planet Earth's axis of rotation in to space. But no bright star marks that location in the southern hemisphere's night sky. Still, the South Celestial Pole is easy to spot. It lies at the center of the concentric star trail arcs that fill the skyward field of view.

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

Rescuers at the Ready at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

Aug 16, 2024

If there’s an emergency at the launch pad during a launch countdown, there’s a special team engineers at Kennedy Space Center teams can call on – the Pad Rescue team.

Trained to quickly rescue personnel at the launch pad and take them to safety in the event of an unlikely emergency, NASA’s Pad Rescue team at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida has been in place since the Apollo Program.

Today they help support crewed missions launching from Launch Complex 39A and B, as well as Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Stationed in mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles, or MRAPs, the Pad Rescue team stands poised near the launch pad to assist with any emergency requiring the personnel to quickly leave the pad.

If needed, they will head to the pad and break up into two separate teams – one that heads up the launch tower to aid personnel and another that is stationed at the perimeter of the pad for when crews come down the emergency escape or egress system.

Once everyone is on the ground and inside the MRAPs, Pad Rescue will drive teams to one of the triage site locations at Kennedy.

They’re spaceflight knights in shining armor. Except instead of saving crew from a fire breathing dragon, it’s from a fully loaded skyscraper-sized rocket that’s getting ready to lift off.

The team is made up of approximately 25 firefighters and fire officers, with 10 pad rescuers assigned per mission.

Since the team supports a diverse range of launches – Artemis, the Commercial Crew Program and some private commercial crew launches – part of their training requires learning the differences between the launch pads, the emergency egress systems, the spacecraft, and even the spacesuits.

“The hatch itself can be very complex,” said Dylan Reid, Pad Rescue program manager.

“The seats are different. The suits are completely different and the connections on the suits are different. As we expand Pad Rescue to support different programs, our teams are absorbing all of the highly technical and different needs.”

When the launch team sent in the red crew during the Artemis I launch countdown to help fix a hydrogen leak, the Pad Rescue team was nearby to help in case anything went wrong.

Now as teams train for Artemis II – the first crewed Artemis mission – they’re learning all the new additions at Launch Complex 39B that come with having astronauts onboard.

This includes learning the Artemis emergency egress system.

Before Artemis II launches, the Pad Rescue team – along with other teams like the Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) Program responsible for launching the Artemis missions, and the closeout crew who are responsible for helping the astronauts get inside the Orion spacecraft – will thoroughly train for all kinds of emergency procedures that can occur during the launch countdown.

The most recent training ahead of Artemis II included practicing several emergency egress situations such as helping aid the closeout and the simulated flight crew off of the launch tower after a simulated hydrogen leak occurred during a launch countdown.

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/esdmd/common-exploration-systems-development-division/exploration-ground-systems/rescuers-at-the-ready-at-nasas-kennedy-space-center/

UK Space Command successfully launches first military satellite

17 August 2024

A UK satellite to support military operations successfully launched into space last night.

Named Tyche, the satellite is UK Space Command’s first satellite which can capture daytime images and videos of the Earth’s surface. 

The satellite will strengthen the UK’s Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.  

As the conflict in Ukraine has shown, the use of space is crucial to military operations. Tyche is the first satellite to be launched under the Ministry of Defence’s space-based ISR programme, which will deliver a constellation of satellites and supporting ground systems by 2031.  

These satellites will not only support military operations, but also contribute to other government tasks, including natural disaster monitoring, the development of mapping information, environmental monitoring and tracking the impact of climate change around the world.  

Designed and built in the UK through a £22 million contract awarded by Defence Equipment & Support to Surrey Satellites Technology Limited (SSTL), Tyche is the first satellite to be fully owned by the Ministry of Defence.

SSTL received the first signals from Tyche – which is comparable in size to a washing machine – a few hours after lift-off, confirming the successful launch.

Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Maria Eagle said: 

“Tyche will provide essential intelligence for military operations as well as supporting wider tasks across government.”     

“Tyche also shows the UK’s commitment to support innovation in science and technology, stimulating growth across the sector and supporting highly skilled jobs in the UK.” 

UK Space Commander, Major General Paul Tedman said:  

“This is a fabulous day for UK space. The successful launch of Tyche has shown that UK Space Command, and its essential partners across defence and industry, can rapidly take a concept through to the delivery of a satellite capability on orbit.”   

“Tyche represents the first of a future constellation of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance satellites that we’ll launch over the coming years.”  

“I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate everybody involved with Tyche and thank them for their support.” 

Paul Russell, DE&S Space Team Leader, said:

“Working closely with UK Space Command, Dstl and industry to understand how to deliver in a new, complex and critical environment has been an exciting journey.

“To see Tyche - the first of a new generation of UK military capabilities - delivered into orbit is an incredibly proud moment and a tribute to everyone’s commitment to this key project.”

Operating in Low Earth Orbit over a five-year lifespan, Tyche will provide timely space-based imagery in support of the UK Armed Forces.  The design and build of the 150-kilogramme satellite has supported around 100 high-skilled roles at SSTL since 2022.  

Tyche was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, by SpaceX, on their re-usable Falcon 9 rocket, as part of the ‘Transporter 11’ mission.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-space-command-successfully-launches-first-military-satellite