NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
December 13, 2024
M51: Tidal Streams and H-alpha Cliffs
An intriguing pair of interacting galaxies, M51 is the 51st entry in Charles Messier's famous catalog. Perhaps the original spiral nebula, the large galaxy with whirlpool-like spiral structure seen nearly face-on is also cataloged as NGC 5194. Its spiral arms and dust lanes sweep in front of its smaller companion galaxy, NGC 5195. Some 31 million light-years distant, within the boundaries of the well-trained constellation Canes Venatici, M51 looks faint and fuzzy to the eye in direct telescopic views. But this remarkably deep image shows off stunning details of the galaxy pair's striking colors and fainter tidal streams. The image includes extensive narrowband data to highlight a vast reddish cloud of ionized hydrogen gas recently discovered in the M51 system and known to some as the H-alpha cliffs. Foreground dust clouds in the Milky Way and distant background galaxies are captured in the wide-field view. A continuing collaboration of astro-imagers using telescopes on planet Earth assembled over 3 weeks of exposure time to create this evolving portrait of M51.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
Hubble Captures an Edge-On Spiral with Curve Appeal
Dec 12, 2024
This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features a spiral galaxy, named UGC 10043. We don’t see the galaxy’s spiral arms because we are seeing it from the side.
Located roughly 150 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Serpens, UGC 10043 is one of the somewhat rare spiral galaxies that we see edge-on.
This edge-on viewpoint makes the galaxy’s disk appear as a sharp line through space, with its prominent dust lanes forming thick bands of clouds that obscure our view of the galaxy’s glow.
If we could fly above the galaxy, viewing it from the top down, we would see this dust scattered across UGC 10043, possibly outlining its spiral arms.
Despite the dust’s obscuring nature, some active star-forming regions shine out from behind the dark clouds.
We can also see that the galaxy’s center sports a glowing, almost egg-shaped ‘bulge’, rising far above and below the disk. All spiral galaxies have a bulge similar to this one as part of their structure.
These bulges hold stars that orbit the galactic center on paths above and below the whirling disk; it’s a feature that isn’t normally obvious in pictures of galaxies.
The unusually large size of this bulge compared to the galaxy’s disk is possibly due to UGC 10043 siphoning material from a nearby dwarf galaxy.
This may also be why its disk appears warped, bending up at one end and down at the other.
Like most full-color Hubble images, this image is a composite, made up of several individual snapshots taken by Hubble at different times, each capturing different wavelengths of light.
One notable aspect of this image is that the two sets of data that comprise this image were collected 23 years apart, in 2000 and 2023!
Hubble’s longevity doesn’t just afford us the ability to produce new and better images of old targets; it also provides a long-term archive of data which only becomes more and more useful to astronomers.
https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/hubble-captures-an-edge-on-spiral-with-curve-appeal/
NASA Gives The World a Brake
Dec 12, 2024
Just as NASA needs to reduce mass on a spacecraft so it can escape Earth’s gravity, automotive manufacturers work to reduce weight to improve vehicle performance.
In the case of brake rotors, lighter is better for a vehicle’s acceleration, reliable stopping, and even gas mileage. Orbis Brakes Inc. licensed a NASA-patented technology to accomplish that and more.
This revolutionary brake disc design is at least 42% lighter than conventional cast iron rotors, with performance comparable to carbon-ceramic brakes.
Jonathan Lee, structural materials engineer at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, uses his skills as a mechanical designer backed with material science training on multiple projects including the Space Launch System and the International Space Station.
Interested in supporting NASA’s other mission to advance technology to improve life on Earth, he was looking for an innovative way to design a better automobile disc brake.
He started with a single disc with a series of small fins around the central hub. As they spin, these draw in air and push it across the surface of the disc, where the brake pads make contact.
This cools the rotor, as well as the brake pads and calipers. He then added several long, curved depressions around the braking surfaces, radiating from the center to create the regular, periodic pattern that gives the new technology, known as Orbis, its PeriodicWave brand name.
The spinning fins and the centrifugal force of the wheel push air into trenches, causing a turbulent airflow that draws away heat.
These trenches in the braking surfaces also increase the available surface for air cooling by more than 30% and further reduce the weight of the disc.
They also increase friction in the same way that scoring concrete makes steps safer to walk on – the brake pads are less likely to slip, which makes braking more reliable.
The troughs draw away more than just heat, too. Water and road debris getting between the pad and rotor are equally problematic, so the grooves provide a place for the air vortex to push any substance out of the way.
A small hole machined at the end of each one creates an opening through which unwanted material can escape.
The expertise developed while solving problems in space has proven useful on Earth, too.
Orbis’s brakes are sold as aftermarket modifications for high performance cars like the Ford Mustang, as well as some Tesla models.
https://www.nasa.gov/technology/tech-transfer-spinoffs/nasa-gives-the-world-a-brake/
Helium Conservation by Diffusion Limited Purging of Liquid Hydrogen Tanks
Dec 12, 2024
This article is from the 2024 Technical Update.
The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) has developed an analytical model that predicts diffusion between two gases during piston purging of liquid hydrogen (LH2) tanks.
This model helps explain dramatic helium savings seen in a recent Kennedy Space Center (KSC) purge, shows that undesired turbulent mixing occurred in Space Shuttle External Tank purges, and is applicable to future helium purges of the Space Launch System Core Stage LH2 tanks.
Background
In 2023, work was completed on a new 1.3-million-gallon (174,000 standard cubic feet (scf)) liquid hydrogen tank at KSC in support of the Space Launch System[1], see Figure 1.
Per contract, the vendor delivered this tank filled with gaseous nitrogen, leaving KSC ground operations the task of replacing the nitrogen with helium: a necessary step prior to introducing liquid hydrogen, which would freeze the nitrogen.
Prior helium/nitrogen purges on the Apollo/Space Shuttle era 850,000-gallon (114000 scf) LH2 tanks were performed by pumping
out the nitrogen, introducing helium, drawing samples, and then repeating if necessary. However, the new tank did not have a vacuum port, so instead, it was decided to introduce the helium from the top of the tank and push the nitrogen out of the bottom.
Two million scf of helium was obtained and made ready for fear the two gases would mix, resulting in a long and expensive purge.
Surprisingly, this top-down, or piston purge, resulted in a rapid replacement of the nitrogen with helium, using only 406,000 scf of helium, about 1.6 million scf less than planned (at $1/scf this is a $1.6 million dollar savings).
To better understand this remarkable result, the NESC was asked to address the questions; why did this work so well and can it be improved further?
Upon realizing that the purge was diffusion limited and could be modelled, variations were studied, leading to three important conclusions.
The flow rate should be increased until the onset of turbulent mixing; once started, the purge should not be stopped because this allows additional diffusion to occur; and trying to improve the purge by varying temperature or pressure has little benefit.
Purging of the huge LH2 spheres is rare, but purging of flight tanks is common. In 2008, purge data from three Space Shuttle External Tanks was measured using a mass spectrometer and the NESC was asked to apply the diffusion model to this data.
Doing this showed evidence that turbulent mixing occurred indicating that the flow rates needed to be decreased.
Having such a model has provided insight into the use of piston-type helium purges at KSC, with the goal of saving helium and manpower.
This work is now directly applicable to purging the LH2 tank on the Space Launch System Core Stage.
The Binary Gas Sensor
During past purges, gas samples were taken to a lab to indicate the status of the purge but doing that for a piston purge would introduce time delays, allowing unwanted diffusion to take place.
Fortuitously, an independent NESC assessment[4] was evaluating a binary gas sensor, with an excellent combination of cost, size, power, and weight to implement in the field, providing rapid real-time monitoring of the purge gas ratio.
Using this sensor made the piston purging of the new LH2 tank successful.
https://www.nasa.gov/general/helium-conservation-by-diffusion-limited-purging-of-liquid-hydrogen-tanks/
Could it be more than that?
https://spaceflightnow.com/2024/12/12/jared-isaacman-makes-first-public-remarks-since-nomination-for-nasa-administrator/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdaqX3AMxy8
Jared Isaacman makes first public remarks since nomination for NASA Administrator
Dec 12, 2024
The man who may very well be NASA’s 15th Administrator made his first public address since receiving the nomination for the role.
Jared Isaacman made an appearance at the Space Force Association’s Spacepower Conference in Orlando on Wednesday, having previously spoken at last year’s inaugural conference.
While the event was billed as a discussion on his recent spaceflight, his comments before a room full of U.S. Space Force Guardians and commercial companies garnered additional interest given his nomination by President-Elect Donald Trump.
During a roughly 50-minute conversation with Matt Anderson, the SFA’s chief growth officer, Isaacman made a notable point to not only give acknowledgment to SpaceX when asked about Starship development or his missions onboard Crew Dragon, but also gave multiple kudos to other commercial launch providers.
“I love all about the commercial space industry right now. Just to point out, they are all generally doing the same thing, which is putting a lot of their own dollars on the line because they believe in the future that it holds,” Isaacman said.
“There’s so much uncertainty around it too, right? There will almost assuredly be some space economy that’s up there and we’re gonna need a lot of people in this room to protect it when it fully develops.
“But yeah, Blue Origin’s putting a ton of their own money on the line. Love everything that Rocket Lab did. It’s another small, scrappy startup that’s doing great things.
And for sure, SpaceX and their approach of fully reusable first and second stage, pretty awesome stuff.”
In the wake of Isaacman’s announcement as Trump’s desired NASA Administrator, there are those who expressed concerns with his close ties with both SpaceX and its founder, Elon Musk, who is one half of the proposed Department of Government Efficiency, which will make budget cutting recommendations to lawmakers.
In beginning the conversation, Anderson made clear that the conversation wouldn’t delve into topics concerning the nomination and didn’t mention Musk in his questioning.
But during part of the conversation, he did ask Isaacman about his experience working as a government contractor through his aviation venture, Draken International.
“Shockingly, the government does do business very differently than the rest of the country, so I got an education in that and certainly, a lot of exposure to how other defense contractors operate.”
When asked about the “great power competition with China,” Isaacman said stressed that the U.S. should remain a leader in various space capabilities.
He argued that “reusability is going to open up this domain in such a new way that we have no idea what the future may hold, but I know we can’t be second in that.”
“We are going to inevitably have a presence on the Moon and then on Mars and we’re just going to keep making the high ground higher and that is going to necessitate the contributions and really the protection from everybody in this room and those that aren’t here,” Isaacman said.
“I think it’s imperative that we are first in that regard and that we lead the way.”
1/2
Polaris Program uncertainty
Much of the conversation on Wednesday concerned Isaacman’s two trips to space, first with Inspiration4 in 2021 and most recently with Polaris Dawn.
In a nod to the Space Force Guardians in the room and watching the conversation virtually, Isaacman talked about flying some of their service rank patches during those flights. He said one in particular stood out in his memory.
“[A former cadet] asked if I could fly his rank again, except his captain bars, which I was like this must be done because I realized his last name was Kirk,” Isaacman said.
“I was like, ‘Captain Kirk’s rank is definitely going to space with us. So I filmed it on Polaris Dawn and sent him a copy of the video.”
Isaacman said while the Polaris Dawn mission didn’t fundamentally break ground when it comes to the capabilities that are possible in low Earth orbit, he said part of their goal was to expand the understanding about things like how different people react when experiencing microgravity for a relatively brief duration of a few days.
He also addressed one of the elephants in the room: what becomes of the Polaris Program if he we to be confirmed as the next NASA administrator.
Isaacman was responding to a question about what he sees next for the second and third Polaris missions, the latter of which has been billed as the first crewed launch of SpaceX’s Starship rocket.
“The future of the Polaris Program is a little bit of a question mark at the moment. May wind up on hold for a little bit, we’ll have to see,” Isaacman said.
“But overall, I’m just super passionate about humankind’s future among the stars and what’s approaching because it’s going to be a lot. It’s going to arrive a lot quicker than probably many of us think.”
2/2
NASA’s Lucy spacecraft skimming Earth’s atmosphere today!
December 12, 2024
Our planet Earth will give NASA’s Lucy spacecraft its 2nd gravity assist today (December 12, 2024).
This close flyby will give Lucy a boost, placing it on a new trajectory that’ll carry the spacecraft through the main asteroid belt and out to Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids.
Observers in the Hawaiian Islands might be able to catch a glimpse of Lucy as the spacecraft approaches Earth, before it passes into Earth’s shadow.
Lucy will then be visible to observers with a telescope in western regions of Africa and eastern regions of South America.
Lucy’s next encounter will be with asteroid Donaldjohanson on April 20, 2025.
NASA’s Lucy spacecraft prepares for 2nd Earth gravity assist
On Thursday, December 12, at 11:15 p.m. EST (04:15 UTC on Dec. 13), NASA’s Lucy spacecraft, currently in a two-year orbit around the sun, will skim Earth’s atmosphere.
It will pass only about 220 miles (350 kilometers) above the surface. This close flyby will result in a gravity assist.
This puts the spacecraft on a new trajectory that travels through the main asteroid belt and out to the never-before-explored Jupiter Trojan asteroids.
Trojans orbit the sun at the same distance as Jupiter.
This 2nd Earth gravity assist occurs three years into the Lucy spacecraft’s 12-year voyage. Its 1st gravity assist was on October 16, 2022, one year after launch.
It boosted the spacecraft from an initial one-year orbit onto the present two-year orbit. That orbit reached into the inner limits of the main asteroid belt.
This enabled Lucy’s 1st asteroid encounter, with the small asteroid Dinkinesh and its satellite Selam.
Through the asteroid belt and on to the Trojans
Then, the upcoming gravity assist will boost the spacecraft into a six-year orbit.
That one that will carry Lucy through the main asteroid belt (where it will fly past the asteroid Donaldjohanson).
It will then go into the Trojan asteroid swarm that leads Jupiter in its orbit, for the 1st Trojan asteroid encounter in 2027.
Lucy spacecraft’s approach invisible in the glare of the sun
During the gravity assist, the Lucy spacecraft, from Earth’s perspective, will approach from the direction of the sun.
This means that observers on Earth will not be able to see Lucy approaching, as it will be lost in the sun’s glare.
Lucy’s trajectory will bring the spacecraft very close to the Earth. In fact, it will be even lower in altitude than the International Space Station.
Also, to ensure the safety of the spacecraft as it passes through this region full of Earth-orbiting satellites and debris, NASA has procedures to anticipate and avoid potential collisions.
If needed, the spacecraft will execute a small trajectory correction maneuver 12 hours before closest approach. This will alter the time of closest approach by one or two seconds, enough to avoid a potential collision.
Probe might be visible in early evening for Hawaiians
Shortly after sunset, keen observers in the Hawaiian Islands may be able to catch a glimpse of Lucy as the spacecraft approaches Earth before it passes into Earth’s shadow at 6:14 p.m. HST (04:14 UTC on December 13).
Lucy will speed over the continental U.S. in darkness, travelling over 33,000 miles per hour (14.8 kilometers per second). It will then emerge from Earth’s shadow 20 minutes later at 11:34 p.m. EST (04:34 UTC).
At that time, Lucy may be visible to observers with a telescope in the western regions of Africa and the eastern regions of South America.
Sunlight reflects off the spacecraft’s large solar panels (observers in the eastern United States will be looking at the much dimmer “back” side of the solar panels, making Lucy harder to see.
Go here for more information about observing Lucy during this gravity assist). Lucy will then rapidly recede from Earth and return to interplanetary space.
The gravity assist increased the spacecraft’s speed with respect to the sun by over 16,000 miles per hour (7.2 kilometers per second).
During the 1st Earth gravity assist in 2022, the spacecraft imaged the Earth and the moon as part of an instrument calibration.
As no further calibrations are needed at this time, the instruments will be off during this encounter. Lucy’s next asteroid encounter will be with the small main belt asteroid Donaldjohanson on April 20, 2025.
Bottom line: The Lucy spacecraft will make a close approach to Earth today. Its six-year mission will carry it through the main asteroid belt and into the orbit of Jupiter.
https://earthsky.org/space/nasas-lucy-spacecraft-skimming-earths-atmosphere-today/
Sake brewed in space could sell for $500K per glass
December 13, 2024 at 9:35 am EST
A Japanese sake maker is heading to the final frontier of brewing – space.
Asahi Shuzo, the company that brews the popular Japanese sake brand Dassai, plans to send sake ingredients to the International Space Station for a very special and ultimately, expensive drink, CNN reported.
Sake, which is made from rice, koji and water, is not a liquor and is not distilled. Although it has a high alcohol by volume, the drink is brewed.
If Asahi Shuzo is successful in creating the drink in the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo on the International Space Station, the company will sell one 100-milliliter bottle for 100 million yen, or approximately $653,000, The Japan News reported.
A standard glass is approximately 80ml, which would be worth about $522,000, according to CNN.
According to Asahi Shuzo the company applied for permission to use the Kibo module and received approval in July, The Japan News reported.
The company plans to ferment the raw materials on Kibo and then make 520 grams of unrefined sake. The brew then would be brought back to Earth in a frozen state, according to the newspaper.
The company plans to name the drink “Dassai MOON – Uchu Jozo (brewed in space).”
Dassai, which means “otter festival” in Japanese, is one of the most popular sake brands on the market, according to CNN. Officials with Asahi Shuzo are cautiously optimistic.
“There is no guarantee of 100% success for the fermentation tests,” Souya Uetsuki, the brewer in charge of the project, told CNN.
He told the cable news outlet that the difference in gravity could be a factor and affect how heat transfers in fluid.
Asahi Shuzo plans to begin the process during the last quarter of 2025, 9News Live reported.
The brewing equipment that will be taken to the ISS is currently under development, The Japan News reported.
https://www.wpxi.com/news/trending/sake-brewed-space-could-sell-500k-per-glass/WANENMDCY5ALDGPT2E3APXPE5Q/