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Lonecat in Orbit 15 |
 THIS IS Lonecat again reporting from Earth orbit and having a busy time keeping up with events in Space, particularly in the Earth-Moon system and in the Saturnian system. The big event this last week was the change of orbit of the indian moon craft Chandrayaan 1, when it switched from its expanding orbit of Earth to one around the Moon. Now, this lunar orbit will gradually be reduced in height until it becomes circular and very close to the lunar surface. Meanwhile, Cassini is busy at Saturn taking some spectacular photographs of the moon, Enceladus's south polar region. You can read more about these events by scrolling down this page.
Meanwhile, I am beginning to get "cabin fever" out here all alone in orbit and I am missing the mountains, hills and seas of Earth. I really hope that the Book of Thoth will manage to provide the "BoT OSV" the space vehicle in which I am currently swinging around the Earth, with this new magnetic shield which will give me better protection against solar radiation. To find out more about that, read this next article:
New spaceship force field makes Mars trip possible
According to the international space agencies, "Space Weather" is the single greatest obstacle to deep space travel. Radiation from the sun and cosmic rays pose a deadly threat to astronauts in space. New research, out today, Tuesday, November 4, published in IOP Publishing's Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, shows how knowledge gained from the pursuit of nuclear fusion research may reduce the threat to acceptable levels, making man's first mission to Mars a much greater possibility.
Published: Tuesday, November 4, 2008 - 00:56 in Astronomy & Space
Learn more about: giant magnetic bubble international space agencies mars trip new spaceship nuclear fusion research rutherford appleton laboratory
http://tinyurl.com/5aakfn
And for a different version of the space-shield story, here is the article about it from the BBC.
Future astronauts could benefit from a magnetic "umbrella" that deflects harmful space radiation around their crew capsule, scientists say. BBC
Chandrayaan1 went into orbit around the Moon on Saturday
" Last Saturday, the Indian Moon rocket is due to go in to Lunar orbit.
The car-sized spacecraft fired its liquid-fueled engine at about 1227 GMT (7:27 a.m. EST) Saturday to place Chandrayaan 1 in an oval-shaped parking orbit around the moon. That orbit will eventually be lowered to a circular path about 62 miles above the lunar surface"
http://tinyurl.com/6hw8em
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN ASTRONAUT
I was not able to download this 56 minutes video. Boo-hoo! However, I am posting the link here just in case anyoneone else is able to watch it.
http://tinyurl.com/5c7slk
UNEXPLAINED MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE
We received this multiple posting from Phoenix on Saturday. No, not from Phoenix on Mars but from one of our cotributors to the Book of Thoth who has that user name. Thanks Phoenix for that contribution. It really is sensational. I place it here just in case users are unable to download the video above. These fascinating five videos will keep anyone enthralled for quite a while.
The Universe: Unexplained Mysteries 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epq9arWQV7s
The Universe: Unexplained Mysteries 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qc2qr8ysAQ
The Universe: Unexplained Mysteries 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_IiavmCHJc
The Universe: Unexplained Mysteries 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VoxMwYC_U4
The Universe: Unexplained Mysteries 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfgKJFSWR14
MIGHT CASSINI DISCOVER LIFE OUT AT SATURN?
Would it not be ironic if, after all our efforts to detect past or present life on Mars, Cassini should beat Phoenix to the post by finding it on Enceladus or some other Saturnian moon?
http://tinyurl.com/6fj2ur
DEVELOPING A NEW ROCKET
It's good to find news of the development of new types of rocket. We have all read about te sort of things we could expect in the future, when we were kids. Nice to know that things are still moving ahead. This is quite an in-depth article and is a good read and it includes some exciting pictures
"The nine engines produce about 832,000 pounds of thrust at sea level, about four times the power of a 747 jumbo jet at full throttle. The engines consume about 3,200 pounds of kerosene and liquid oxygen per second".
http://tinyurl.com/6l3d9f
ORBITAL PHOTOS OF MAR'S CANDOR CHASMA
This is an interesting article and includes a 3D photograph (the last one in the set)
"The High Resolution Stereo Camera on the orbiter obtained the data in orbit number 3195, with a ground resolution of approximately 20 m/pixel. Candor Chasma lies at approximately 6° south and 290° east"
http://tinyurl.com/5o37tp
Saturn’s anomalous orbit flummoxes astronomers
One of the first tests of Einstein’s theory of general relativity was to explain the precession of the perihelion of Mercury, which had long bamboozled astronomers. Newton’s law of gravity simply cannot account for it. But relativity does.
Now it’s Saturn’s turn to flummox astrophysicists.
http://tinyurl.com/57nwez
OLDEST COMMERCIAL SATELLITE RETIRES
The Marisat-F2 satellite, manufactured by Hughes Aircraft Inc. and launched in 1976, had only a five-year design life, yet until the end, the communications payload continued operating within its original specifications, Intelsat engineers said. Once dubbed "The Little Satellite That Could," Marisat-F2 is believed to have been the oldest commercial communications satellite still actively operating in space.
http://tinyurl.com/6okvg2
TO END this week's orbital review, just take a look at this magnificent photograph of a terrific crater (terrific in any sense) on the planet Mercury.
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap081103.html
I'm off now to start my sixteenth orbit but I'll be back again, next time round. Have a safe and healthy week everyone! Lonecat
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