|
|
NASA TV's This Week @NASA, M
…
** STS-131 UPDATE -- JSC/KSC
…
03/05/2010
| Description |
** STS-131 UPDATE -- JSC/KSC The STS-131 Crew and space shuttle Discovery continues their progress toward an April 5 launch to the International Space Station. Discovery has been rolled out to Launch Pad 39A, while the seven STS-131 astronauts participated in launch countdown dress rehearsal activities and other prelaunch training. ** AMES CREATES A WINNER -- ARC The World Wind Java computer program developed at the Ames Research Center has earned NASA's 2009 Software of the Year Award. World-Wind is an open-source platform used to display NASA and U.S. Geological Survey data on virtual 3-D globes of Earth and other planets. ** DEEP SPACE DOWN UNDER - JPL NASA is replacing an aging fleet of 230-foot-wide antennas used in the Deep Space Network with new ''beam wave guide'' antennas that enable the network to operate on several different frequency bands within the same antenna. The replacement antennas are approximately half the size of the originals. The NASA Deep Space Network - or DSN - is an international network of antennas that supports interplanetary spacecraft missions and radio and radar astronomy observations for the exploration of the solar system and the universe. The network also supports selected Earth-orbiting missions. ** 2009 QASAR AWARD -- GRC Christopher DellaCorte, of the Glenn Research Center's Tribology & Mechanical Components branch has received the 2009 Quality and Safety Achievement or Qasar Award for figuring out what caused severe degradation of a starboard solar array alpha rotary joint on the International Space Station. ** STEM EDUCATORS WORKSHOP -- LARC Teachers became students while participating in the second annual NASA Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics -- STEM -- Educators, Workshops held this year in Charlotte, N.C. The 40-session workshop provided elementary, middle and high school teachers with creative hands-on ways to incorporate NASA content into their classrooms. The workshops are specifically designed to give teachers tangible resources for immediate use in classrooms. ** FIRST ROBOTICS KICKOFF -- HQ The NASA supported ''For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology'' Robotics program began its 19th year with regional competitions like this one held in Washington, D.C. FIRST is a nationwide competition that teams young people with professionals to solve engineering design problems in a competitive way. |
| Date |
03/05/2010 |
|
L-Band West Texas
This radar image of the Midl
…
6/22/95
| Date |
6/22/95 |
| Description |
This radar image of the Midland/Odessa region of West Texas, demonstrates an experimental technique, called ScanSAR, that allows scientists to rapidly image large areas of the Earth's surface. The large image covers an area 245 kilometers by 225 kilometers (152 miles by 139 miles). It was obtained by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR- C/X-SAR) flying aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on October 5, 1994. The smaller inset image is a standard SIR-C image showing a portion of the same area, 100 kilometers by 57 kilometers (62 miles by 35 miles) and was taken during the first flight of SIR-C on April 14, 1994. The bright spots on the right side of the image are the cities of Odessa (left) and Midland (right), Texas. The Pecos River runs from the top center to the bottom center of the image. Along the left side of the image are, from top to bottom, parts of the Guadalupe, Davis and Santiago Mountains. North is toward the upper right. Unlike conventional radar imaging, in which a radar continuously illuminates a single ground swath as the space shuttle passes over the terrain, a Scansar radar illuminates several adjacent ground swaths almost simultaneously, by "scanning" the radar beam across a large area in a rapid sequence. The adjacent swaths, typically about 50 km (31 miles) wide, are then merged during ground processing to produce a single large scene. Illumination for this L-band scene is from the top of the image. The beams were scanned from the top of the scene to the bottom, as the shuttle flew from left to right. This scene was acquired in about 30 seconds. A normal SIR- C image is acquired in about 13 seconds. The ScanSAR mode will likely be used on future radar sensors to construct regional and possibly global radar images and topographic maps. The ScanSAR processor is being designed for 1996 implementation at NASA's Alaska SAR Facility, located at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and will produce digital images from the forthcoming Canadian RADARSAT satellite. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves, allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X- band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. X-SAR was developed by the Dornier and Alenia Spazio companies for the German space agency, Deutsche Agentur fuer Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA), and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), with the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Luft und Raumfahrt e.v.(DLR), the major partner in science, operations, and data processing of X-SAR. ##### |
|
NASA SCI Files - Space Shutt
…
NASA Sci Files segment descr
…
9/25/02
| Description |
NASA Sci Files segment describing how NASA uses pulleys to attach the space shuttle to the 747 for its cross-country trip from California to Florida. |
| Date |
9/25/02 |
|
NASA TV's This Week @NASA, M
…
** STS-131 UPDATE: JSC/KSC T
…
03/05/10
| Description |
** STS-131 UPDATE: JSC/KSC The STS-131 Crew and space shuttle Discovery continues their progress toward an April 5 launch to the International Space Station. Discovery has been rolled out to Launch Pad 39A, while the seven STS-131 astronauts participated in launch countdown dress rehearsal activities and other prelaunch training. ** AMES CREATES A WINNER: ARC The World Wind Java computer program developed at the Ames Research Center has earned NASA's 2009 Software of the Year Award. World-Wind is an open-source platform used to display NASA and U.S. Geological Survey data on virtual 3-D globes of Earth and other planets. ** DEEP SPACE DOWN UNDER: JPL NASA is replacing an aging fleet of 230-foot-wide antennas used in the Deep Space Network with new ''beam wave guide'' antennas that enable the network to operate on several different frequency bands within the same antenna. The replacement antennas are approximately half the size of the originals. The NASA Deep Space Network - or DSN - is an international network of antennas that supports interplanetary spacecraft missions and radio and radar astronomy observations for the exploration of the solar system and the universe. The network also supports selected Earth-orbiting missions. ** 2009 QASAR AWARD: GRC Christopher DellaCorte, of the Glenn Research Center's Tribology & Mechanical Components branch has received the 2009 Quality and Safety Achievement or Qasar Award for figuring out what caused severe degradation of a starboard solar array alpha rotary joint on the International Space Station. ** STEM EDUCATORS WORKSHOP: LARC Teachers became students while participating in the second annual NASA Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics -- STEM -- Educators, Workshops held this year in Charlotte, N.C. The 40-session workshop provided elementary, middle and high school teachers with creative hands-on ways to incorporate NASA content into their classrooms. The workshops are specifically designed to give teachers tangible resources for immediate use in classrooms. ** FIRST ROBOTICS KICKOFF HQ: The NASA supported ''For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology'' Robotics program began its 19th year with regional competitions like this one held in Washington, D.C. FIRST is a nationwide competition that teams young people with professionals to solve engineering design problems in a competitive way. |
| Date |
03/05/10 |
|
NASA TV's This Week at NASA,
…
The seven member STS-131 cre
…
03/26/10
| Description |
The seven member STS-131 crew continues to prep for its April mission to the International Space Station. Flying aboard the space shuttle Discovery the crew will deliver about 13-thousand pounds of supplies to the station. * NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy aircraft, SOFIA completed a two-week series of 'light envelope expansion' test flights. * Brenda Manuel, NASA Associate Administrator for Diversity and Equal Opportunity, was honored by the Society of Women Engineers as this year's recipient of the group's President's Award. A lawyer by training, Manuel was recognized for her longtime encouragement of women to pursue careers in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.* The final support beam for the Ames Research Center's new green building was installed during a special 'Topping Out' celebration. * Former moonwalker, Apollo astronaut Buzz Aldrin has again captured the nation√¢s attention as a contestant on the ABC television series, 'Dancing with the Stars.' |
| Date |
03/26/10 |
|
Artist's conception of the d
…
| Title |
Artist's conception of the deployment of the Advanced |
| Full Description |
An artist's concept of the Advanced Communication Technology Satellite (ACTS) shown after release from the space shuttle's cargo bay. ACTS was launched on September 12, 1993 and built by Lockheed Martin Astro-Space. The unique feature of ACTS is that it was a "switchboard in the sky" in that it incorporates on-board switching and steerable, spot-beam antenna that allow routing of signals to take place on the spacecraft. ACTS technology was cost-effective (when compared to other satellites) and provided more communication capacity than previous satellites. |
| Date |
9/9/87 |
| NASA Center |
Headquarters |
|
Shuttle Test Using Electron
…
| Title |
Shuttle Test Using Electron Beam |
| Full Description |
A space shuttle model undergoes a wind tunnel test in 1975. This test is simulating the ionized gasses that surround a shuttle as it reenters the atmosphere. |
| Date |
04/14/1975 |
| NASA Center |
Langley Research Center |
|
Neutral Simulator Buoyancy S
…
| Name of Image |
Neutral Simulator Buoyancy Simulator-Test NB32 |
| Date of Image |
1980-01-07 |
| Full Description |
Once the United States' space program had progressed from Earth's orbit into outerspace, the prospect of building and maintaining a permanent presence in space was realized. To accomplish this feat, NASA launched a temporary workstation, Skylab, to discover the effects of low gravity and weightlessness on the human body, and also to develop tools and equipment that would be needed in the future to build and maintain a more permanent space station. The structures, techniques, and work schedules had to be carefully designed to fit this unique construction site. The components had to be lightweight for transport into orbit, yet durable. The station also had to be made with removable parts for easy servicing and repairs by astronauts. All of the tools necessary for service and repairs had to be designed for easy manipulation by a suited astronaut. Construction methods had to be efficient due to the limited time the astronauts could remain outside their controlled environment. In lieu of all the specific needs for this project, an environment on Earth had to be developed that could simulate a low gravity atmosphere. A Neutral Buoyancy Simulator (NBS) was constructed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in 1968. Since then, NASA scientists have used this facility to understand how humans work best in low gravity and also provide information about the different kinds of structures that can be built. Pictured is a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) student working in a spacesuit on the Experimental Assembly of Structures in Extravehicular Activity (EASE) project which was developed as a joint effort between MFSC and MIT. The EASE experiment required that crew members assemble small components to form larger components, working from the payload bay of the space shuttle. The MIT student in this photo is assembling two six-beam tetrahedrons. |
|
Neutral Buoyancy Simulator-E
…
| Name of Image |
Neutral Buoyancy Simulator-EASE Project (NB32) |
| Date of Image |
1980-01-07 |
| Full Description |
Once the United States' space program had progressed from Earth's orbit into outerspace, the prospect of building and maintaining a permanent presence in space was realized. To accomplish this feat, NASA launched a temporary workstation, Skylab, to discover the effects of low gravity and weightlessness on the human body, and also to develop tools and equipment that would be needed in the future to build and maintain a more permanent space station. The structures, techniques, and work schedules had to be carefully designed to fit this unique construction site. The components had to be lightweight for transport into orbit, yet durable. The station also had to be made with removable parts for easy servicing and repairs by astronauts. All of the tools necessary for service and repairs had to be designed for easy manipulation by a suited astronaut. Construction methods had to be efficient due to the limited time the astronauts could remain outside their controlled environment. In lieu of all the specific needs for this project, an environment on Earth had to be developed that could simulate a low gravity atmosphere. A Neutral Buoyancy Simulator (NBS) was constructed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in 1968. Since then, NASA scientists have used this facility to understand how humans work best in low gravity and also provide information about the different kinds of structures that can be built. Pictured is a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) student working in a spacesuit on the Experimental Assembly of Structures in Extravehicular Activity (EASE) project which was developed as a joint effort between MFSC and MIT. The EASE experiment required that crew members assemble small components to form larger components, working from the payload bay of the space shuttle. The MIT student in this photo is assembling two six-beam tetrahedrons. |
|
Neutral Buoyancy Simulator -
…
| Name of Image |
Neutral Buoyancy Simulator - EASE Project (NB32) |
| Date of Image |
1980-01-07 |
| Full Description |
Once the United States' space program had progressed from Earth's orbit into outerspace, the prospect of building and maintaining a permanent presence in space was realized. To accomplish this feat, NASA launched a temporary workstation, Skylab, to discover the effects of low gravity and weightlessness on the human body, and also to develop tools and equipment that would be needed in the future to build and maintain a more permanent space station. The structures, techniques, and work schedules had to be carefully designed to fit this unique construction site. The components had to be lightweight for transport into orbit, yet durable. The station also had to be made with removable parts for easy servicing and repairs by astronauts. All of the tools necessary for service and repairs had to be designed for easy manipulation by a suited astronaut. Construction methods had to be efficient due to the limited time the astronauts could remain outside their controlled environment. In lieu of all the specific needs for this project, an environment on Earth had to be developed that could simulate a low gravity atmosphere. A Neutral Buoyancy Simulator (NBS) was constructed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in 1968. Since then, NASA scientists have used this facility to understand how humans work best in low gravity and also provide information about the different kinds of structures that can be built. Pictured is a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) student working in a spacesuit on the Experimental Assembly of Structures in Extravehicular Activity (EASE) project which was developed as a joint effort between MFSC and MIT. The EASE experiment required that crew members assemble small components to form larger components, working from the payload bay of the space shuttle. The MIT student in this photo is assembling two six-beam tetrahedrons. |
|
Neutral Buoyancy Simulator-N
…
| Name of Image |
Neutral Buoyancy Simulator-NB32-Assembly of Large Space Structure |
| Date of Image |
1980-02-27 |
| Full Description |
Once the United States' space program had progressed from Earth's orbit into outerspace, theprospect of building and maintaining a permanent presence in space was realized. To accomplish this feat, NASA launched a temporary workstation, Skylab, to discover the effects of low gravity and weightlessness on the human body, and also to develop tools and equipment that would be needed in the future to build and maintain a more permanent space station. The structures, techniques, and work schedules had to be carefully designed to fit this unique construction site. The components had to be lightweight for transport into orbit, yet durable. The station also had to be made with removable parts for easy servicing and repairs by astronauts. All of the tools necessary for service and repairs had to be designed for easy manipulation by a suited astronaut. Construction methods had to be efficient due to the limited time the astronauts could remain outside their controlled environment. In lieu of all the specific needs for this project, an environment on Earth had to be developed that could simulate a low gravity atmosphere. A Neutral Buoyancy Simulator (NBS) was constructed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in 1968. Since then, NASA scientists have used this facility to understand how humans work best in low gravity and also provide information about the different kinds of structures that can be built. Pictured is a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) student working in a spacesuit on the Experimental Assembly of Structures in Extravehicular Activity (EASE) project which was developed as a joint effort between MFSC and MIT. The EASE experiment required that crew members assemble small components to form larger components, working from the payload bay of the space shuttle. The MIT student in this photo is assembling two six-beam tetrahedrons. |
|
STS-46 Mission Insignia
| Name of Image |
STS-46 Mission Insignia |
| Date of Image |
1992-05-01 |
| Full Description |
Designed by the crewmembers assigned to the flight, the STS-46 crew patch depicts the Space Shuttle Atlantis in orbit around Earth, accompanied by major payloads: the European Retrievable Carrier (EURECA) and the Tethered Satellite System (TSS- l). In the depiction, EURECA has been activated and released, its antennae and solar arrays deployed, and it is about to start its ten- month scientific mission. The Tethered Satellite is linked to the orbiter by a 20-krn. tether. The purple beam emanating from an electron generator in the payload bay spirals around Earth's magnetic field. Visible on Earth's surface are the United States of America and the thirteen-member countries of the European Space Agency (ESA), in particular, Italy -- partner with the USA in the TSS program. The American and Italian flags, as well as the ESA logo, further serve to illustrate the international character of STS-46. |
|
Spacelab-2 (STS-51F Mission)
…
| Name of Image |
Spacelab-2 (STS-51F Mission) Onboard Photograph |
| Date of Image |
1985-07-01 |
| Full Description |
This STS-51F mission onboard Photograph shows some of the Spacelab-2 instruments in the cargo bay of the Orbiter Challenger. The Plasma Diagnostics Package (PDP). shown at the end of the Remote Manipulator System (RMS), used instruments on a subsatellite to study natural plasma processes, orbiter-induced plasma processes, and beam plasma physics. Fourteen instruments were mounted on the PDP for measurements of various plasma characteristics. The X-ray Telescope (XRT), is at the front. The goal of this investigation was to image and examine the X-ray emissions from clusters of galaxies in order to study the mechanisms that cause high-temperature emissions and to determine the weight of galactic clusters. The Small Helium-Cooled Infrared Telescope (IRT) is at the right behind the XRT. The objective of this investigation was to measure and map diffused and discrete infrared astronomical sources while evaluating the Space Shuttle as a platform for infrared astronomy. At the same time, a new large superfluid helium dewar system for cooling the telescope was evaluated. The egg-shaped Cosmic Ray Nuclei experiment (CRNE) is shown at the rear. This investigation was to study the composition of high-energy cosmic rays by using a large instrument exposed to space for a considerable period of time. Spacelab-2 (STS-51F, 19th Shuttle mission) was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Challenger on July 29, 1985. |
|
STS-110 Astronaut Jerry Ross
…
| Name of Image |
STS-110 Astronaut Jerry Ross Performs Extravehicular Activity (EVA) |
| Date of Image |
2002-04-16 |
| Full Description |
Launched aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis on April 8, 2002, the STS-110 mission prepared the International Space Station (ISS) for future space walks by installing and outfitting the 43-foot-long Starboard side S0 (S-zero) truss and preparing the first railroad in space, the Mobile Transporter. The 27,000 pound S0 truss was the first of 9 segments that will make up the Station's external framework that will eventually stretch 356 feet (109 meters), or approximately the length of a football field. This central truss segment also includes a flatcar called the Mobile Transporter and rails that will become the first "space railroad," which will allow the Station's robotic arm to travel up and down the finished truss for future assembly and maintenance. The completed truss structure will hold solar arrays and radiators to provide power and cooling for additional international research laboratories from Japan and Europe that will be attached to the Station. STS-110 Extravehicular Activity (EVA) marked the first use of the Station's robotic arm to maneuver space walkers around the Station and was the first time all of a shuttle crew's space walks were based out of the Station's Quest Airlock. In this photograph, Astronaut Jerry L. Ross, mission specialist, anchored on the end of the Canadarm2, moves near the newly installed S0 truss. Astronaut Lee M. E. Morin, mission specialist, (out of frame), worked in tandem with Ross during this fourth and final scheduled session of EVA for the STS-110 mission. The final major task of the space walk was the installation of a beam, the Airlock Spur, between the Quest Airlock and the S0. The spur will be used by space walkers in the future as a path from the airlock to the truss. |
|
The Shuttle Launches an Infl
…
| Title |
The Shuttle Launches an Inflatable Antenna |
| Explanation |
High above the Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap950622.html ] the Space Shuttle Endeavor [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap950807.html ] launches a new type of instrument - an inflatable antenna. The officially designated Inflatable Antenna Experiment [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/iae/iae_indx.html ] was released Monday, May 20th, as part of a Spartan [ http://sspp.gsfc.nasa.gov/sp207.html ] satellite - which contains many scientific experiments. The antenna is roughly the size of a tennis court and is even visible from Earth [ http://shuttle.nasa.gov/sts-77/orbit/orbiter/sighting/ ]. At the end of the mission, the antenna will be jettisoned while the rest of the Spartan is recovered by the Shuttle. The function of an antenna is to broadcast radio messages, and the large dish at the end helps focus radio waves into a narrow beam which can be detected over long distances. |
|
Electron Beam Shuttle Orbite
…
| Title |
Electron Beam Shuttle Orbiter |
| Description |
The Space Shuttle scale models have spent more than 60,000 occupancy hours in Langley wind-tunnel tests. Photograph published in Winds of Change, 75th Anniversary NASA publication (page 104), by James Schultz. |
| Date |
09.01.1981 |
|
STS-46 Atlantis, Orbiter Veh
…
johnsonspacecentermediaarchi
…
STS-46 Atlantis, Orbiter Veh
…
s46-s-001
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| creator |
NASA |
| identifier |
s46-s-001 |
|
Radar image San Francisco Ba
…
PIA02730
Sol (our sun)
C-Band Interferometric Radar
| Title |
Radar image San Francisco Bay Area, California |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Enterprise, Washington, DC. Size: 38 km (24 miles) by 71 km (44 miles) Location: 37.7 deg. North lat., 122.2 deg. West lon. Orientation: North to the upper right Original Data Resolution: 30 meters (99 feet) Date Acquired: February 16, 2000 Image: NASA/JPL/NIMA, The San Francisco Bay Area in California and its surroundings are shown in this radar image from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). On this image, smooth areas, such as the bay, lakes, roads and airport runways appear dark, while areas with buildings and trees appear bright. Downtown San Francisco is at the center and the city of Oakland is at the right across the San Francisco Bay. Some city areas, such as the South of Market district in San Francisco, appear bright due to the alignment of streets and buildings with respect to the incoming radar beam. Three of the bridges spanning the Bay are seen in this image. The Bay Bridge is in the center and extends from the city of San Francisco to Yerba Buena and Treasure Islands, and from there to Oakland. The Golden Gate Bridge is to the left and extends from San Francisco to Sausalito. The Richmond-San Rafael Bridge is in the upper right and extends from San Rafael to Richmond. Angel Island is the large island east of the Golden Gate Bridge, and lies north of the much smaller Alcatraz Island. The Alameda Naval Air Station is seen just below the Bay Bridge at the center of the image. Two major faults bounding the San Francisco-Oakland urban areas are visible on this image. The San Andreas fault, on the San Francisco peninsula, is seen on the left side of the image. The fault trace is the straight feature filled with linear reservoirs, which appear dark. The Hayward fault is the straight feature on the right side of the image between the urban areas and the hillier terrain to the east. This radar image was acquired by just one of SRTM's two antennas and, consequently, does not show topographic data, but only the strength of the radar signal reflected from the ground. This signal, known as radar backscatter, provides insight into the nature of the surface, including its roughness, vegetation cover and urbanization. The overall faint striping pattern in the images is a data processing artifact due to the preliminary nature of this image product. These artifacts will be removed after further data processing. This image was acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission(SRTM) aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on February 11,2000. SRTM uses the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar(SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. The mission is designed to collect three-dimensional measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter-long (200-foot) mast, installed additional C-band and X-band antennas, and improved tracking and navigation devices. The mission is a cooperative project between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA)of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and the German and Italian Space agencies. It is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, for NASA's Earth Science |
|
Venus - Outflow Channel in S
…
PIA00483
Sol (our sun)
Imaging Radar
| Title |
Venus - Outflow Channel in South Navka |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This SAR image from the southern portion of Navka (24.4-25.3 degrees south latitude, 338.5-340.5 degrees east longitude) is a mosaic of twelve Magellan orbits that covers 180 kilometers (108 miles) in width and 78 kilometers (47 miles) in length. In the center of this image are two bright deposits running north to south. These deposits outline an outflow channel that flowed from a 60-km diameter crater that is to the south of the channel. Inside the outflow channel and outlined by 'bathtub ring' deposits are small cones, most likely of volcanic origin. At the end of the outflow channel, where one would expect the smallest particles to be deposited, are specular features which may represent sand dunes. Seasat and space shuttle radar images of sand dunes on Earth also show specular reflections from smooth dune faces that are near-normal to the radar beam. Other evidence for aeolian activity are the dark and bright windstreaks running east to west that form behind cones. Notice how the wind changes direction from a southeast-northwest flow at the right of the image to an east-west flow at the eastern edge of the outflow channel. |
|
| General Description |
STS-99 Shuttle Mission Imagery |
|
| General Description |
STS-110 Shuttle Mission Imagery |
|
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -
…
| Description |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Suspended by a 175-ton bridge crane, the orbiter Discovery has cleared the cross-beam into high bay 3 and is lowered next to the new External Tank, ET-121, and Solid Rocket Boosters in the bay for mating. That tank was originally scheduled to fly with Atlantis on the second Return to Flight mission, STS-121. A new heater was added to the tank's feedline bellows, part of the pipeline that carries the liquid oxygen to the orbiter?s main engines, to minimize the potential for ice and frost buildup. After the remate, technicians will work final closeouts on the fully assembled Space Shuttle stack, and perform liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen electrical mates and an interface verification test. Discovery is currently scheduled to return to Launch Pad 39B on June 13. |
| Release Date |
06/07/2005 |
|
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -
…
| Description |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the transfer aisle of the Vehicle Assembly Building, orbiter Discovery is raised to a vertical position. It will be lifted over a cross-beam into high bay 3 and remated with the new External Tank, ET-121, and Solid Rocket Boosters in the bay. That tank was originally scheduled to fly with Atlantis on the second Return to Flight mission, STS-121. A new heater was added to the tank's feedline bellows, part of the pipeline that carries the liquid oxygen to the orbiter?s main engines, to minimize the potential for ice and frost buildup. After the remate, technicians will work final closeouts on the fully assembled Space Shuttle stack, and perform liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen electrical mates and an interface verification test. Discovery is currently scheduled to return to Launch Pad 39B on June 13. |
| Release Date |
06/06/2005 |
|
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -
…
| Description |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The orbiter Discovery hangs suspended above the floor of the transfer aisle in the Vehicle Assembly Building. It will be lifted over a cross-beam into high bay 3 and remated with the new External Tank, ET-121, and Solid Rocket Boosters in the bay. That tank was originally scheduled to fly with Atlantis on the second Return to Flight mission, STS-121. A new heater was added to the tank's feedline bellows, part of the pipeline that carries the liquid oxygen to the orbiter?s main engines, to minimize the potential for ice and frost buildup. After the remate, technicians will work final closeouts on the fully assembled Space Shuttle stack, and perform liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen electrical mates and an interface verification test. Discovery is currently scheduled to return to Launch Pad 39B on June 13. |
| Release Date |
06/07/2005 |
|
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -
…
| Description |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the transfer aisle of the Vehicle Assembly Building, orbiter Discovery hangs suspended in a vertical position. It will be lifted over a cross-beam into high bay 3 and remated with the new External Tank, ET-121, and Solid Rocket Boosters in the bay. That tank was originally scheduled to fly with Atlantis on the second Return to Flight mission, STS-121. A new heater was added to the tank's feedline bellows, part of the pipeline that carries the liquid oxygen to the orbiter?s main engines, to minimize the potential for ice and frost buildup. After the remate, technicians will work final closeouts on the fully assembled Space Shuttle stack, and perform liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen electrical mates and an interface verification test. Discovery is currently scheduled to return to Launch Pad 39B on June 13. |
| Release Date |
06/07/2005 |
|
STS-103 Mission Specialist C
…
| Description |
STS-103 Mission Specialist Claude Nicollier of Switzerland and his wife, Susana, beam at the camera on the runway at Patrick Air Force Base. The STS-103 crew and their families are preparing to board an airplane that will return them to their home base at the Johnson Space Center in Houston following the successful completion of their mission. Discovery landed in darkness the previous evening, Dec. 27, on runway 33 at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility at 7:00:47 p.m. EST. This was the first time that a Shuttle crew spent the Christmas holiday in space. The other STS-103 crew members are Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr., Pilot Scott J. Kelly, and Mission Specialists Steven L. Smith, C. Michael Foale (Ph.D.), John M. Grunsfeld (Ph.D.), and Jean-François Clervoy of France. The STS-103 mission supplied the Hubble Space Telescope with six new gyroscopes, six new voltage/temperature improvement kits, a new onboard computer, a new solid state recorder and new data transmitter, and a new fine guidance sensor along with new insulation on parts of the orbiting telescope. This was the 96th flight in the Space Shuttle program and the 27th for the orbiter Discovery |
| Release Date |
12/28/1999 |
|
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -
…
| Description |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - With its fiery exhaust casting a beam across the water and billows of smoke casting shadows, Space Shuttle Columbia roars into the pre-dawn sky on mission STS-109. Liftoff occurred at 6:22:02:08 a.m. EST (11:22:02:08 GMT). This was the 27th flight of the vehicle and 108th in the history of the Shuttle program. The goal of mission STS-109 is the maintenance and upgrade of the Hubble Space Telescope, to be carried out in five spacewalks. The crew comprises Commander Scott D. Altman, Pilot Duane G. Carey, Payload Commander John M. Grunsfeld, and Mission Specialists Nancy Jane Currie, Richard M. Linnehan, James H. Newman and Michael J. Massimino. After the 11-day mission, Columbia is expected to return to KSC March 12 about 4:35 a.m. EST (09:35 GMT). |
| Release Date |
03/01/2002 |
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STS-26 OV-103 solid rocket m
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| Title |
STS-26 OV-103 solid rocket motor (SRM) left aft segment preparations at KSC |
| Description |
Morton Thiokol technicians carefully prepare the STS-26 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, solid rocket motor (SRM) left aft segment for mating to the aft skirt at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). A special lifting beam is used to hoist the segment over to the aft booster "buildup" work stands in the Rotation Processing and Surge Facility (RPSF). About 23 days of aft booster "buildup" are planned at the RPSF prior to transferring the booster to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for stacking. This is one of the STS-26 flight segments destined to help launch OV-103 on the upcoming Space Shuttle flight. View provided by KSC with alternate number KSC-88P-111. |
| Date Taken |
1988-04-28 |
|
STS-34 Shuttle Solar Backsca
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| Title |
STS-34 Shuttle Solar Backscatter UV (SSBUV) get away special (GAS) canisters |
| Description |
Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (UV) (SSBUV) get away special (GAS) canisters are mounted on a GAS adapter beam assembly (GABA) or gas bridge assembly (GBA) on the starboard wall of Atlantis', Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104's, payload bay (PLB). The GAS canister on the left has a motorized door assembly (MDA). During STS-34, SSBUV instrument will calibrate similar ozone measuring space-based instruments on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) TIROS satellites (NOAA-9 and NOAA-11). SSBUV uses the Space Shuttle's orbital flight path to assess instrument performance by directly comparing data from identical instruments aboard TIROS spacecraft, as the Shuttle and the satellite pass over the same Earth location within a one hour window. SSBUV is managed by Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). SSBUV insignia are printed on the GAS thermal blanket coverings. |
| Date Taken |
1989-09-11 |
|
Artist concept of Shuttle So
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| Title |
Artist concept of Shuttle Solar Backscatter UV (SSBUV) flight configuration |
| Description |
Artist concept of STS-34 payload bay (PLB) experiment is titled SSBUV FLIGHT CONFIGURATION. The labeled drawing of the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (UV) (SSBUV) get away special (GAS) canisters identifies the adapter beam, motorized door mechanism, instrument canister, support canister, bottom hat, and interconnect cable. The GAS canisters will be mounted on the starboard wall of Atlantis', Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104's, PLB. One canister contains an instrument nearly identical to that flown on the satellite. The second canister provides power, data, and command systems. During STS-34, SSBUV instrument will calibrate similar ozone measuring space-based instruments on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) TIROS satellites (NOAA-9 and NOAA-11). SSBUV uses the Space Shuttle's orbital flight path to assess instrument performance by directly comparing data from identical instruments aboard TIROS spacecraft, as the Shuttle and the satellite pass over the same E |
| Date Taken |
1989-09-11 |
|
STS-34 Galileo / Shuttle Sol
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| Title |
STS-34 Galileo / Shuttle Solar Backscatter UV (SSBUV) flight configurations |
| Description |
Artist concept of Atlantis', Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104's, payload bay (PLB) titled STS-34 GALILEO/SSBUV shows the flight configuration of the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (UV) (SSBUV) and the Galileo spacecraft and inertial upper stage (IUS). An inset shows the details of the SSBUV get away special (GAS) canisters. SSBUV canisters will be mounted on a GAS adapter beam assembly (GABA) or gas bridge assembly (GBA) on OV-104's PLB starboard wall. One GAS canister has a motorized door assembly (MDA). During STS-34, SSBUV instrument will calibrate similar ozone measuring space-based instruments on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) TIROS satellites (NOAA-9 and NOAA-11). SSBUV uses the Space Shuttle's orbital flight path to assess instrument performance by directly comparing data from identical instruments aboard TIROS spacecraft, as the Shuttle and the satellite pass over the same Earth location within a one hour window. SSBUV is managed by Goddard Space |
| Date Taken |
1989-09-11 |
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