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Blacker than Black
Title Blacker than Black
Description This artist's animation illustrates the hottest planet yet observed in the universe. The scorching ball of gas, a "hot Jupiter" called HD 149026b, is a sweltering 3,700 degrees Fahrenheit (2,040 degrees Celsius) -- about three times hotter than the rocky surface of Venus, the hottest planet in our solar system. The planet is so hot that astronomers believe it is absorbing almost all of the heat from its star, and reflecting very little to no light. Objects that reflect no sunlight are black. Consequently, HD 149026b might be the blackest known planet in the universe, in addition to the hottest. The temperature of this dark and balmy planet was taken with NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. While the planet reflects no visible light, its heat causes it to radiate a little visible and a lot of infrared light. Spitzer, an infrared observatory, was able to measure this infrared light through a technique called secondary eclipse. HD 149026b is what is known as a transiting planet, which means that it crosses in front of and passes behind its star -- the secondary eclipse -- when viewed from Earth. By determining the drop in total infrared light that occurs when the planet disappears, astronomers can figure out how much infrared light is coming from the planet alone. The Spitzer observations of HD 149026b also suggest a hot spot in the middle of the side of the planet that always faces its star. Even though the planet is black, the spot would glow like a black lump of charcoal. HD 149026b is thought to be tidally locked, just as our moon is to Earth, such that one side of the planet is perpetually baked under the heat of its sun. Astronomers think that HD 149026b is probably blazing hot on its sunlit side, and much cooler on its dark side. A similar phenomenon was observed previously by Spitzer for the planet Upsilon Andromedae b. In the case of both planets, heat is not being evenly distributed across their surfaces. This is the opposite of what happens on Jupiter, where temperature differences are minimal all around. HD 149026b is located 256 light-years away in the constellation Hercules. It is the smallest known transiting planet, with a size similar to Saturn's and a suspected dense core 70 to 90 times the mass of Earth. It speeds around its star every 2.9 days.
Blacker than Black (Widescre …
Title Blacker than Black (Widescreen Version)
Description This artist's animation illustrates the hottest planet yet observed in the universe. The scorching ball of gas, a "hot Jupiter" called HD 149026b, is a sweltering 3,700 degrees Fahrenheit (2,040 degrees Celsius) -- about three times hotter than the rocky surface of Venus, the hottest planet in our solar system. The planet is so hot that astronomers believe it is absorbing almost all of the heat from its star, and reflecting very little to no light. Objects that reflect no sunlight are black. Consequently, HD 149026b might be the blackest known planet in the universe, in addition to the hottest. The temperature of this dark and balmy planet was taken with NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. While the planet reflects no visible light, its heat causes it to radiate a little visible and a lot of infrared light. Spitzer, an infrared observatory, was able to measure this infrared light through a technique called secondary eclipse. HD 149026b is what is known as a transiting planet, which means that it crosses in front of and passes behind its star -- the secondary eclipse -- when viewed from Earth. By determining the drop in total infrared light that occurs when the planet disappears, astronomers can figure out how much infrared light is coming from the planet alone. The Spitzer observations of HD 149026b also suggest a hot spot in the middle of the side of the planet that always faces its star. Even though the planet is black, the spot would glow like a black lump of charcoal. HD 149026b is thought to be tidally locked, just as our moon is to Earth, such that one side of the planet is perpetually baked under the heat of its sun. Astronomers think that HD 149026b is probably blazing hot on its sunlit side, and much cooler on its dark side. A similar phenomenon was observed previously by Spitzer for the planet Upsilon Andromedae b. In the case of both planets, heat is not being evenly distributed across their surfaces. This is the opposite of what happens on Jupiter, where temperature differences are minimal all around. HD 149026b is located 256 light-years away in the constellation Hercules. It is the smallest known transiting planet, with a size similar to Saturn's and a suspected dense core 70 to 90 times the mass of Earth. It speeds around its star every 2.9 days.
Blacker than Black
Title Blacker than Black
Description This artist's concept illustrates the hottest planet yet observed in the universe. The scorching ball of gas, a "hot Jupiter" called HD 149026b, is a sweltering 3,700 degrees Fahrenheit (2,040 degrees Celsius) -- about 3 times hotter than the rocky surface of Venus, the hottest planet in our solar system. The planet is so hot that astronomers believe it is absorbing almost all of the heat from its star, and reflecting very little to no light. Objects that reflect no sunlight are black. Consequently, HD 149026b might be the blackest known planet in the universe, in addition to the hottest. The temperature of this dark and balmy planet was taken with NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. While the planet reflects no visible light, its heat causes it to radiate a little visible and a lot of infrared light. Spitzer, an infrared observatory, was able to measure this infrared light through a technique called secondary eclipse. HD 149026b is what is known as a transiting planet, which means that it crosses in front of and passes behind its star -- the secondary eclipse -- when viewed from Earth. By determining the drop in total infrared light that occurs when the planet disappears, astronomers can figure out how much infrared light is coming from the planet alone. The Spitzer observations of HD 149026b also suggest a hot spot in the middle of the side of the planet that always faces its star. Even though the planet is black, the spot would glow like a black lump of charcoal. HD 149026b is thought to be tidally locked, just as our moon is to Earth, such that one side of the planet is perpetually baked under the heat of its sun. Astronomers think that HD 149026b is probably blazing hot on its sunlit side, and much cooler on its dark side. A similar phenomenon was observed previously by Spitzer for the planet Upsilon Andromedae b. In the case of both planets, heat is not being evenly distributed across their surfaces. This is the opposite of what happens on Jupiter, where temperature differences are minimal all around. HD 149026b is located 256 light-years away in the constellation Hercules. It is the smallest known transiting planet, with a size similar to Saturn's and a suspected dense core 70 to 90 times the mass of Earth. It speeds around its star every 2.9 days.
Pegasus
Title Pegasus
Full Description This image shows a Pegasus launch vehicle on the ground before its flight on a B-52. An air-launched, three stage, all solid- propellant, three-axis stabilized vehicle, the Pegasus can set a 400-1,000 pound payload into low-Earth orbit. For more information about Pegasus, please see Chapter 5 in Roger Launius and Dennis Jenkins' book To Reach the High Frontier published by The University Press of Kentucky in 2002.
Date 09/05/1989
NASA Center Headquarters
Hubble Finds One of the Smal …
Title Hubble Finds One of the Smallest Stars in the Universe
Hubble Sheds Light on the "F …
Title Hubble Sheds Light on the "Faint Blue Galaxy" Mystery
Hubble Sees Early Building B …
Title Hubble Sees Early Building Blocks of Today's Galaxies
Hubble Captures Stars Going …
Title Hubble Captures Stars Going Out in Style
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. The colorful, intricate shapes in these NASA Hubble Space Telescope images reveal how the glowing gas ejected by dying Sun-like stars evolves dramatically over time. These gaseous clouds, called planetary nebulae, are created when stars in the last stages of life cast off their outer layers of material into space. The snapshots of He 2-47, NGC 5315, IC 4593, and NGC 5307 were taken with Hubble's Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 in February 2007.
Pegasus Mated under Wing of …
Photo Description A close-up view of the Pegasus space-booster attached to the wing pylon of NASA?s B-52 launch aircraft at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Pegasus rocket booster was designed as a way to get small payloads into space orbit more easily and cost-effectively. It has also been used to gather data on hypersonic flight.
Project Description Pegasus is an air-launched space booster produced by Orbital Sciences Corporation and Hercules Aerospace Company (initially, later, Alliant Tech Systems) to provide small satellite users with a cost-effective, flexible, and reliable method for placing payloads into low earth orbit. Pegasus has been used to launch a number of satellites and the PHYSX experiment. That experiment consisted of a smooth glove installed on the first-stage delta wing of the Pegasus. The glove was used to gather data at speeds of up to Mach 8 and at altitudes approaching 200,000 feet. The flight took place on October 22, 1998. The PHYSX experiment focused on determining where boundary-layer transition occurs on the glove and on identifying the flow mechanism causing transition over the glove. Data from this flight-research effort included temperature, heat transfer, pressure measurements, airflow, and trajectory reconstruction. Hypersonic flight-research programs are an approach to validate design methods for hypersonic vehicles (those that fly more than five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5). Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, provided overall management of the glove experiment, glove design, and buildup. Dryden also was responsible for conducting the flight tests. Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, was responsible for the design of the aerodynamic glove as well as development of sensor and instrumentation systems for the glove. Other participating NASA centers included Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, and Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Orbital Sciences Corporation, Dulles, Virginia, is the manufacturer of the Pegasus vehicle, while Vandenberg Air Force Base served as a pre-launch assembly facility for the launch that included the PHYSX experiment. NASA used data from Pegasus launches to obtain considerable data on aerodynamics. By conducting experiments in a piggyback mode on Pegasus, some critical and secondary design and development issues were addressed at hypersonic speeds. The vehicle was also used to develop hypersonic flight instrumentation and test techniques. NASA's B-52 carrier-launch vehicle was used to get the Pegasus airborne during six launches from 1990 to 1994. Thereafter, an Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft launched the Pegasus. The Pegasus launch vehicle itself has a 400- to 600-pound payload capacity in a 61-cubic-foot payload space at the front of the vehicle. The vehicle is capable of placing a payload into low earth orbit. This vehicle is 49 feet long and 50 inches in diameter. It has a wing span of 22 feet. (There is also a Pegasus XL vehicle that was introduced in 1994. Dryden has never launched one of these vehicles, but they have greater thrust and are 56 feet long.)
Photo Date August 2, 1994
PHYSX Glove Test
Photo Description A mock-up of the stainless-steel Pegasus Hypersonic Experiment (PHYSX) Projects experimental "glove" undergoes hot-loads tests at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The thermal ground test simulates heats and pressures the wing glove will experience at hypersonic speeds. Quartz heat lamps subject this model of a Pegasus booster rocket's right wing glove to the extreme heats it will experience at speeds approaching Mach 8. The glove has a highly reflective surface, underneath which are hundreds of temperature and pressure sensors that will send hypersonic flight data to ground tracking facilities during the experimental flight.
Project Description Pegasus is an air-launched space booster produced by Orbital Sciences Corporation and Hercules Aerospace Company (initially, later, Alliant Tech Systems) to provide small satellite users with a cost-effective, flexible, and reliable method for placing payloads into low earth orbit. Pegasus has been used to launch a number of satellites and the PHYSX experiment. That experiment consisted of a smooth glove installed on the first-stage delta wing of the Pegasus. The glove was used to gather data at speeds of up to Mach 8 and at altitudes approaching 200,000 feet. The flight took place on October 22, 1998. The PHYSX experiment focused on determining where boundary-layer transition occurs on the glove and on identifying the flow mechanism causing transition over the glove. Data from this flight-research effort included temperature, heat transfer, pressure measurements, airflow, and trajectory reconstruction. Hypersonic flight-research programs are an approach to validate design methods for hypersonic vehicles (those that fly more than five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5). Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, provided overall management of the glove experiment, glove design, and buildup. Dryden also was responsible for conducting the flight tests. Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, was responsible for the design of the aerodynamic glove as well as development of sensor and instrumentation systems for the glove. Other participating NASA centers included Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, and Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Orbital Sciences Corporation, Dulles, Virginia, is the manufacturer of the Pegasus vehicle, while Vandenberg Air Force Base served as a pre-launch assembly facility for the launch that included the PHYSX experiment. NASA used data from Pegasus launches to obtain considerable data on aerodynamics. By conducting experiments in a piggyback mode on Pegasus, some critical and secondary design and development issues were addressed at hypersonic speeds. The vehicle was also used to develop hypersonic flight instrumentation and test techniques. NASA's B-52 carrier-launch vehicle was used to get the Pegasus airborne during six launches from 1990 to 1994. Thereafter, an Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft launched the Pegasus. The Pegasus launch vehicle itself has a 400- to 600-pound payload capacity in a 61-cubic-foot payload space at the front of the vehicle. The vehicle is capable of placing a payload into low earth orbit. This vehicle is 49 feet long and 50 inches in diameter. It has a wing span of 22 feet. (There is also a Pegasus XL vehicle that was introduced in 1994. Dryden has never launched one of these vehicles, but they have greater thrust and are 56 feet long.)
Photo Date September 13, 1995
M13: The Great Globular Clus …
Title M13: The Great Globular Cluster in Hercules
Explanation M13 [ http://www.seds.org/messier/m/m013.html ] is one of the most prominent and best known globular clusters [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/globular_clusters.html ]. Visible with binoculars in the constellation of Hercules [ http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/constellations/Hercules.html ], M13 is frequently one of the first objects found by curious sky gazers seeking celestials wonders [ http://www.janis.or.jp/users/kitahara/e-m13-big.html ] beyond normal human vision. M13 [ http://www.concentric.net/~Richmann/m13w.htm ] is a colossal home to over 100,000 stars, spans over 150 light years [ http://www.howstuffworks.com/question94.htm ] across, lies over 20,000 light years distant, and is over 12 billion years old. At the 1974 dedication of Arecibo Observatory [ http://www.naic.edu/ ], a radio message [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap000123.html ] about Earth was sent in the direction of M13 [ http://www.windows.umich.edu/cgi-bin/tour_def/the_universe/Globulars.html ]. The reason for the low abundance of unusual blue straggler stars [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap971104.html ] in M13 is currently unknown [ http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?bibcode=1997ApJ...484L.145F ].
Comet SWAN Outburst
Title Comet SWAN Outburst
Explanation Near its closest approach to planet Earth, comet SWAN [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap0610004.html ] (C/2006 M4) brightened unexpectedly earlier this week [ http://www.spaceweather.com/comets/ gallery_cometswan.html ], becoming visible to naked-eye observers under dark night skies. Telescopic observers also noticed dramatic changes [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap061019.html ] in the comet's colorful coma and tail [ http://www.nasa.gov/worldbook/comet_worldbook.html ], seen in this view recorded on October 25th. To make the picture, images totaling eight minutes in exposure time were stacked and centered on the comet as it moved relatively quickly against the background star field. The picture covers about 1 degree on the sky. Northern hemisphere observers should still find the comet [ http://www.skyhound.com/sh/comets.html ] an easy binocular target in the early evening, even though moonlight will increase the overall sky brightness in the next few days. Look toward [ http://skytonight.com/observing/home/4477131.html ] the northwestern horizon and the constellation Hercules.
Comet McNaught-Hartley
Title Comet McNaught-Hartley
Explanation Outbound and climbing [ http://www.skypub.com/sights/skyevents/ 0103skyevents.shtml ] above the plane [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap001014.html ] of our solar system, comet McNaught-Hartley [ http://encke.jpl.nasa.gov/whats_visible.html#1999T1 ] (C/1999 T1) is presently soaring through northern skies. This telescopic picture [ http://www.heavensgloryobservatory.com/ ], a composite of many 30 second exposures made through three color filters, recorded the delicate colors in its diminutive coma [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap980410.html ] and faint tail [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap970314.html ] on February 26th. Combining the exposures to produce the final image registered on the comet causes stars to appear as "dotted trails", evidence of the comet's [ http://www.seds.org/nineplanets/nineplanets/comets.html ] motion relative to the distant stellar background. Discovered by [ http://www.maa.mhn.de/Comet/Lcomets/1999t1.html ] southern hemisphere observers, this comet's closest approach to the Sun occurred in December last year as it passed just outside planet Earth's orbit. For now the brightest comet in the sky [ http://encke.jpl.nasa.gov/ ], this primordial chunk of [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010302.html ] solar system is crossing from the constellation Hercules [ http://www.allthesky.com/constellations/hercules/ constell.html ] to Draco [ http://www.seds.org/Maps/Stars_en/Fig/draco.html ] and will continue to fade. Never visible [ http://encke.jpl.nasa.gov/will_be_visible.html ] to the unaided eye, McNaught-Hartley is still at about 10th magnitude and can be viewed by comet seekers [ http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/classroom/ captaincomet.html ] using small telescopes.
M13: The Great Globular Clus …
Title M13: The Great Globular Cluster in Hercules
Explanation M13 [ http://www.seds.org/messier/m/m013.html ] is one of the most prominent and best known globular clusters [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/globular_clusters.html ]. Visible with binoculars in the constellation of Hercules [ http://www.astronomical.org/portal/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=40 ], M13 is frequently one of the first objects found by curious sky gazers [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020813.html ] seeking celestials wonders [ http://www.astropics.co.uk/m13.htm ] beyond normal human vision. M13 [ http://www.concentric.net/~Richmann/m13w.htm ] is a colossal home to over 100,000 stars, spans over 150 light years [ http://www.howstuffworks.com/question94.htm ] across, lies over 20,000 light years distant, and is over 12 billion years old. At the 1974 dedication of Arecibo Observatory [ http://www.naic.edu/ ], a radio message [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap000123.html ] about Earth was sent in the direction of M13 [ http://www.windows.umich.edu/cgi-bin/tour_def/the_universe/Globulars.html ]. The reason for the low abundance of unusual blue straggler stars [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap971104.html ] in M13 is currently unknown [ http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?bibcode=1997ApJ...484L.145F ].
Analemma over Ancient Nemea
Title Analemma over Ancient Nemea
Explanation An analemma [ http://www.analemma.com/ ] is that figure-8 curve that you get when you mark the position [ http://www.twigsdigs.com/sundials/office/ ] of the Sun at the same time each day throughout planet Earth's [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030626.html ] year. Above, 44 separate exposures [ http://www.perseus.gr/ Astro-Solar-Analemma-140000.htm ] (plus one foreground exposure) were recorded on a single piece of film to illustrate the regular solar motion -- a Herculean task performed during the calendar year 2003. Appropriately, in the foreground are the ruins at Ancient Nemea where [ http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Hercules/ lion.html ] the hero of Greek Mythology pursued the first of his twelve labours. Solstices [ http://www.archaeoastronomy.com/ index.shtml ], like the one that occurred [ http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/ EarthSeasons.html ] at 0057 UT on June 21, correspond to the top and bottom of the figure-8 or the northern and southernmost excursions of the Sun in the sky. The tilt of planet Earth's axis and the variation in speed as it moves around its orbit combine to produce the graceful analemma curve [ http://www.analemma.com/Pages/framesPage.html ].
M13: The Great Globular Clus …
Title M13: The Great Globular Cluster in Hercules
Explanation M13 [ http://www.seds.org/messier/m/m013.html ] is one of the most prominent and best known globular clusters [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap980719.html ]. Visible with binoculars in the constellation of Hercules [ http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/constellations/Hercules.html ], M13 is frequently one of the first steps beyond the ordinary visible to the casual sky gazer. M13 [ http://www.concentric.net/~Richmann/m13w.htm ] is a colossal home to over 100,000 stars, spans over 150 light years across, lies over 20,000 light years distant, and is over 12 billion years old. At the 1974 dedication of Arecibo Observatory [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap970412.html ], a radio message [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap970717.html ] about Earth was sent in the direction of M13 [ http://www.kbcc.cuny.edu/life/m13_cluster.htm ]. The reason for the low abundance of unusual blue straggler stars [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap971104.html ] in M13 is currently unknown [ http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?bibcode=1997ApJ...484L.145F&db_key=AST&high=34f6e1de7f02656 ].
Small Star
Title Small Star
Explanation A dim double star [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap970219.html ] system cataloged as Gliese 623 lies 25 light-years from Earth, in the constellation of Hercules [ http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/ constellations/Hercules.html ]. The individual stars of this binary system [ http://astrosun.tn.cornell.edu/courses/astro201/binstar.htm ] were distinguished for the first time when the Hubble Space Telescope's Faint Object Camera recorded this image [ http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/PR/94/54.html ] in June 1994. They are separated by 200 million miles - about twice the Earth/Sun distance [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap981212.html ]. On the right, the fainter Gliese 623b is 60,000 times less luminous than the Sun and approximately 10 times less massive. The fuzzy rings around its brighter companion, Gliese 623a, are image artifacts. The lowest mass stars are classified [ http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/background-text/brdwarfs.txt ] as red dwarf stars [ http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/PR/95/03.html ], but even red dwarfs are massive enough to trigger hydrogen fusion [ http://ippex.pppl.gov/ippex/About_fusion/index.html ] in their cores to sustain their feeble starlight. Slightly less massive objects, known as brown dwarfs [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap951204.html ], can shine only briefly as their central temperatures are too low to utilize hydrogen as nuclear fuel. The present estimates of the mass of Gliese 623b are right at this red dwarf/brown dwarf border but future observations should help clarify the nature of one of our Galaxy's small stars. Dim and difficult [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990603.html ] to detect, an abundance of objects like Gl623b has been proposed as a possible solution to the mystery of [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/gifcity/matter.html ]"Dark Matter" in the Universe [ http://astro.queensu.ca/~dursi/dm-tutorial/dm1.html ].
Close-up of Pegasus Rocket W …
Title Close-up of Pegasus Rocket Wing and PHYSX Glove Experiment
Description This close-up view of the stainless-steel Pegasus Hypersonic Experiment (PHYSX) Projects experimental "glove" shows a highly reflective surface, underneath which are hundreds of temperature and pressure sensors that will send hypersonic flight data to ground tracking facilities during the experiment's flight. The glove and the Pegasus rocket wing it is attached to were load-tested at Scaled Composites, Inc., in Mojave, California, in January 1997. The Pegasus wing with attached PHYSX glove was placed in a wooden triangular test-rig, mounted to the floor atop the waterbags. Technicians slowly filled water bags beneath the wing, applying the pressure, or "wing-loading," required to determine whether the wing could withstand its design limit for stress. Pegasus is an air-launched space booster produced by Orbital Sciences Corporation and Hercules Aerospace Company (initially, later, Alliant Tech Systems) to provide small satellite users with a cost-effective, flexible, and reliable method for placing payloads into low earth orbit. Pegasus has been used to launch a number of satellites and the PHYSX experiment. That experiment consisted of a smooth glove installed on the first-stage delta wing of the Pegasus. The glove was used to gather data at speeds of up to Mach 8 and at altitudes approaching 200,000 feet. The flight took place on October 22, 1998. The PHYSX experiment focused on determining where boundary-layer transition occurs on the glove and on identifying the flow mechanism causing transition over the glove. Data from this flight-research effort included temperature, heat transfer, pressure measurements, airflow, and trajectory reconstruction. Hypersonic flight-research programs are an approach to validate design methods for hypersonic vehicles (those that fly more than five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5). Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, provided overall management of the glove experiment, glove design, and buildup. Dryden also was responsible for conducting the flight tests. Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, was responsible for the design of the aerodynamic glove as well as development of sensor and instrumentation systems for the glove. Other participating NASA centers included Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, and Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Orbital Sciences Corporation, Dulles, Virginia, is the manufacturer of the Pegasus vehicle, while Vandenberg Air Force Base served as a pre-launch assembly facility for the launch that included the PHYSX experiment. NASA used data from Pegasus launches to obtain considerable data on aerodynamics. By conducting experiments in a piggyback mode on Pegasus, some critical and secondary design and development issues were addressed at hypersonic speeds. The vehicle was also used to develop hypersonic flight instrumentation and test techniques. NASA's B-52 carrier-launch vehicle was used to get the Pegasus, airborne during six launches from 1990 to 1994. Thereafter, an Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft launched the Pegasus. The Pegasus launch vehicle itself has a 400- to 600-pound payload capacity in a 61-cubic-foot payload space at the front of the vehicle. The vehicle is capable of placing a payload into low earth orbit. This vehicle is 49 feet long and 50 inches in diameter. It has a wing span of 22 feet. (There is also a Pegasus XL vehicle that was introduced in 1994. Dryden has never launched one of these vehicles, but they have greater thrust and are 56 feet long.)
Date 01.01.1997
Pegasus Engine Ignites after …
Title Pegasus Engine Ignites after Drop from B-52 Mothership
Description Against the midnight blue of a high-altitude sky, Orbital Sciences' Pegasus winged rocket booster ignites after being dropped from NASA's B-52 mothership on a July 1991 flight. A NASA chase plane for the flight is also visible above the rocket and below the B-52. Pegasus is an air-launched space booster produced by Orbital Sciences Corporation and Hercules Aerospace Company (initially, later, Alliant Tech Systems) to provide small satellite users with a cost-effective, flexible, and reliable method for placing payloads into low earth orbit. Pegasus has been used to launch a number of satellites and the PHYSX experiment. That experiment consisted of a smooth glove installed on the first-stage delta wing of the Pegasus. The glove was used to gather data at speeds of up to Mach 8 and at altitudes approaching 200,000 feet. The flight took place on October 22, 1998. The PHYSX experiment focused on determining where boundary-layer transition occurs on the glove and on identifying the flow mechanism causing transition over the glove. Data from this flight-research effort included temperature, heat transfer, pressure measurements, airflow, and trajectory reconstruction. Hypersonic flight-research programs are an approach to validate design methods for hypersonic vehicles (those that fly more than five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5). Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, provided overall management of the glove experiment, glove design, and buildup. Dryden also was responsible for conducting the flight tests. Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, was responsible for the design of the aerodynamic glove as well as development of sensor and instrumentation systems for the glove. Other participating NASA centers included Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, and Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Orbital Sciences Corporation, Dulles, Virginia, is the manufacturer of the Pegasus vehicle, while Vandenberg Air Force Base served as a pre-launch assembly facility for the launch that included the PHYSX experiment. NASA used data from Pegasus launches to obtain considerable data on aerodynamics. By conducting experiments in a piggyback mode on Pegasus, some critical and secondary design and development issues were addressed at hypersonic speeds. The vehicle was also used to develop hypersonic flight instrumentation and test techniques. NASA's B-52 carrier-launch vehicle was used to get the Pegasus airborne during six launches from 1990 to 1994. Thereafter, an Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft launched the Pegasus. The Pegasus launch vehicle itself has a 400- to 600-pound payload capacity in a 61-cubic-foot payload space at the front of the vehicle. The vehicle is capable of placing a payload into low earth orbit. This vehicle is 49 feet long and 50 inches in diameter. It has a wing span of 22 feet. (There is also a Pegasus XL vehicle that was introduced in 1994. Dryden has never, launched one of these vehicles, but they have greater thrust and are 56 feet long.)
Date 07.17.1991
Pegasus Mated under Wing of …
Title Pegasus Mated under Wing of B-52 Mothership - Close-up
Description A close-up view of the Pegasus space-booster attached to the wing pylon of NASA's B-52 launch aircraft at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Pegasus rocket booster was designed as a way to get small payloads into space orbit more easily and cost-effectively. It has also been used to gather data on hypersonic flight. Pegasus is an air-launched space booster produced by Orbital Sciences Corporation and Hercules Aerospace Company (initially, later, Alliant Tech Systems) to provide small satellite users with a cost-effective, flexible, and reliable method for placing payloads into low earth orbit. Pegasus has been used to launch a number of satellites and the PHYSX experiment. That experiment consisted of a smooth glove installed on the first-stage delta wing of the Pegasus. The glove was used to gather data at speeds of up to Mach 8 and at altitudes approaching 200,000 feet. The flight took place on October 22, 1998. The PHYSX experiment focused on determining where boundary-layer transition occurs on the glove and on identifying the flow mechanism causing transition over the glove. Data from this flight-research effort included temperature, heat transfer, pressure measurements, airflow, and trajectory reconstruction. Hypersonic flight-research programs are an approach to validate design methods for hypersonic vehicles (those that fly more than five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5). Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, provided overall management of the glove experiment, glove design, and buildup. Dryden also was responsible for conducting the flight tests. Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, was responsible for the design of the aerodynamic glove as well as development of sensor and instrumentation systems for the glove. Other participating NASA centers included Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, and Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Orbital Sciences Corporation, Dulles, Virginia, is the manufacturer of the Pegasus vehicle, while Vandenberg Air Force Base served as a pre-launch assembly facility for the launch that included the PHYSX experiment. NASA used data from Pegasus launches to obtain considerable data on aerodynamics. By conducting experiments in a piggyback mode on Pegasus, some critical and secondary design and development issues were addressed at hypersonic speeds. The vehicle was also used to develop hypersonic flight instrumentation and test techniques. NASA's B-52 carrier-launch vehicle was used to get the Pegasus airborne during six launches from 1990 to 1994. Thereafter, an Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft launched the Pegasus. The Pegasus launch vehicle itself has a 400- to 600-pound payload capacity in a 61-cubic-foot payload space at the front of the vehicle. The vehicle is capable of placing a payload into low earth orbit. This vehicle is 49 feet long and 50 inches in diameter. It has a wing span of 22 feet. (There, is also a Pegasus XL vehicle that was introduced in 1994. Dryden has never launched one of these vehicles, but they have greater thrust and are 56 feet long.)
Date 01.01.1994
Pegasus Rocket Model
Title Pegasus Rocket Model
Description A small, desk-top model of Orbital Sciences Corporation's Pegasus winged rocket booster. Pegasus is an air-launched space booster produced by Orbital Sciences Corporation and Hercules Aerospace Company (initially, later, Alliant Tech Systems) to provide small satellite users with a cost-effective, flexible, and reliable method for placing payloads into low earth orbit. Pegasus has been used to launch a number of satellites and the PHYSX experiment. That experiment consisted of a smooth glove installed on the first-stage delta wing of the Pegasus. The glove was used to gather data at speeds of up to Mach 8 and at altitudes approaching 200,000 feet. The flight took place on October 22, 1998. The PHYSX experiment focused on determining where boundary-layer transition occurs on the glove and on identifying the flow mechanism causing transition over the glove. Data from this flight-research effort included temperature, heat transfer, pressure measurements, airflow, and trajectory reconstruction. Hypersonic flight-research programs are an approach to validate design methods for hypersonic vehicles (those that fly more than five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5). Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, provided overall management of the glove experiment, glove design, and buildup. Dryden also was responsible for conducting the flight tests. Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, was responsible for the design of the aerodynamic glove as well as development of sensor and instrumentation systems for the glove. Other participating NASA centers included Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, and Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Orbital Sciences Corporation, Dulles, Virginia, is the manufacturer of the Pegasus vehicle, while Vandenberg Air Force Base served as a pre-launch assembly facility for the launch that included the PHYSX experiment. NASA used data from Pegasus launches to obtain considerable data on aerodynamics. By conducting experiments in a piggyback mode on Pegasus, some critical and secondary design and development issues were addressed at hypersonic speeds. The vehicle was also used to develop hypersonic flight instrumentation and test techniques. NASA's B-52 carrier-launch vehicle was used to get the Pegasus airborne during six launches from 1990 to 1994. Thereafter, an Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft launched the Pegasus. The Pegasus launch vehicle itself has a 400- to 600-pound payload capacity in a 61-cubic-foot payload space at the front of the vehicle. The vehicle is capable of placing a payload into low earth orbit. This vehicle is 49 feet long and 50 inches in diameter. It has a wing span of 22 feet. (There is also a Pegasus XL vehicle that was introduced in 1994. Dryden has never launched one of these vehicles, but they have greater thrust and are 56 feet long.)
Date 01.01.1996
Pegasus Rocket Wing and PHYS …
Title Pegasus Rocket Wing and PHYSX Glove Being Prepared for Stress Loads Testing
Description A technician adjusts the Pegasus Hypersonic Experiment (PHYSX) Project's Pegasus rocket wing with attached PHYSX glove before a loads-test at Scaled Composites, Inc., in Mojave, California, in January 1997. For the test, technicians slowly filled water bags beneath the wing to create the pressure, or "wing-loading," required to determine whether the wing could withstand its design limit for stress. The wing sits in a wooden triangular frame which serves as the test-rig, mounted to the floor atop the waterbags. PHYSX was launched aboard a Pegasus rocket on October 22, 1998. Pegasus is an air-launched space booster produced by Orbital Sciences Corporation and Hercules Aerospace Company (initially, later, Alliant Tech Systems) to provide small satellite users with a cost-effective, flexible, and reliable method for placing payloads into low earth orbit. Pegasus has been used to launch a number of satellites and the PHYSX experiment. That experiment consisted of a smooth glove installed on the first-stage delta wing of the Pegasus. The glove was used to gather data at speeds of up to Mach 8 and at altitudes approaching 200,000 feet. The flight took place on October 22, 1998. The PHYSX experiment focused on determining where boundary-layer transition occurs on the glove and on identifying the flow mechanism causing transition over the glove. Data from this flight-research effort included temperature, heat transfer, pressure measurements, airflow, and trajectory reconstruction. Hypersonic flight-research programs are an approach to validate design methods for hypersonic vehicles (those that fly more than five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5). Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, provided overall management of the glove experiment, glove design, and buildup. Dryden also was responsible for conducting the flight tests. Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, was responsible for the design of the aerodynamic glove as well as development of sensor and instrumentation systems for the glove. Other participating NASA centers included Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, and Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Orbital Sciences Corporation, Dulles, Virginia, is the manufacturer of the Pegasus vehicle, while Vandenberg Air Force Base served as a pre-launch assembly facility for the launch that included the PHYSX experiment. NASA used data from Pegasus launches to obtain considerable data on aerodynamics. By conducting experiments in a piggyback mode on Pegasus, some critical and secondary design and development issues were addressed at hypersonic speeds. The vehicle was also used to develop hypersonic flight instrumentation and test techniques. NASA's B-52 carrier-launch vehicle was used to get the Pegasus airborne during six launches from 1990 to 1994. Thereafter, an Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft launched the Pegasus. The Pegasus launch vehicle itself has a 400- to 600-pound, payload capacity in a 61-cubic-foot payload space at the front of the vehicle. The vehicle is capable of placing a payload into low earth orbit. This vehicle is 49 feet long and 50 inches in diameter. It has a wing span of 22 feet. (There is also a Pegasus XL vehicle that was introduced in 1994. Dryden has never launched one of these vehicles, but they have greater thrust and are 56 feet long.)
Date 01.01.1997
Pegasus Rocket Wing and PHYS …
Title Pegasus Rocket Wing and PHYSX Glove Undergoes Stress Loads Testing
Description The Pegasus Hypersonic Experiment (PHYSX) Project's Pegasus rocket wing with attached PHYSX glove rests after load-tests at Scaled Composites, Inc., in Mojave, California, in January 1997. Technicians slowly filled water bags beneath the wing, to create the pressure, or "wing-loading," required to determine whether the wing could withstand its design limit for stress. The wing sits in a wooden triangular frame which serves as the test-rig, mounted to the floor atop the waterbags. Pegasus is an air-launched space booster produced by Orbital Sciences Corporation and Hercules Aerospace Company (initially, later, Alliant Tech Systems) to provide small satellite users with a cost-effective, flexible, and reliable method for placing payloads into low earth orbit. Pegasus has been used to launch a number of satellites and the PHYSX experiment. That experiment consisted of a smooth glove installed on the first-stage delta wing of the Pegasus. The glove was used to gather data at speeds of up to Mach 8 and at altitudes approaching 200,000 feet. The flight took place on October 22, 1998. The PHYSX experiment focused on determining where boundary-layer transition occurs on the glove and on identifying the flow mechanism causing transition over the glove. Data from this flight-research effort included temperature, heat transfer, pressure measurements, airflow, and trajectory reconstruction. Hypersonic flight-research programs are an approach to validate design methods for hypersonic vehicles (those that fly more than five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5). Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, provided overall management of the glove experiment, glove design, and buildup. Dryden also was responsible for conducting the flight tests. Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, was responsible for the design of the aerodynamic glove as well as development of sensor and instrumentation systems for the glove. Other participating NASA centers included Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, and Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Orbital Sciences Corporation, Dulles, Virginia, is the manufacturer of the Pegasus vehicle, while Vandenberg Air Force Base served as a pre-launch assembly facility for the launch that included the PHYSX experiment. NASA used data from Pegasus launches to obtain considerable data on aerodynamics. By conducting experiments in a piggyback mode on Pegasus, some critical and secondary design and development issues were addressed at hypersonic speeds. The vehicle was also used to develop hypersonic flight instrumentation and test techniques. NASA's B-52 carrier-launch vehicle was used to get the Pegasus airborne during six launches from 1990 to 1994. Thereafter, an Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft launched the Pegasus. The Pegasus launch vehicle itself has a 400- to 600-pound payload capacity in a 61-cubic-foot payload space at the front of the vehicle. The vehicle is, capable of placing a payload into low earth orbit. This vehicle is 49 feet long and 50 inches in diameter. It has a wing span of 22 feet. (There is also a Pegasus XL vehicle that was introduced in 1994. Dryden has never launched one of these vehicles, but they have greater thrust and are 56 feet long.)
Date 01.01.1997
PHYSX Glove Test
Title PHYSX Glove Test
Description A mock-up of the stainless-steel Pegasus Hypersonic Experiment (PHYSX) Projects experimental "glove" undergoes hot-loads tests at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The thermal ground test simulates heats and pressures the wing glove will experience at hypersonic speeds. Quartz heat lamps subject this model of a Pegasus booster rocket's right wing glove to the extreme heats it will experience at speeds approaching Mach 8. The glove has a highly reflective surface, underneath which are hundreds of temperature and pressure sensors that will send hypersonic flight data to ground tracking facilities during the experimental flight. Pegasus is an air-launched space booster produced by Orbital Sciences Corporation and Hercules Aerospace Company (initially, later, Alliant Tech Systems) to provide small satellite users with a cost-effective, flexible, and reliable method for placing payloads into low earth orbit. Pegasus has been used to launch a number of satellites and the PHYSX experiment. That experiment consisted of a smooth glove installed on the first-stage delta wing of the Pegasus. The glove was used to gather data at speeds of up to Mach 8 and at altitudes approaching 200,000 feet. The flight took place on October 22, 1998. The PHYSX experiment focused on determining where boundary-layer transition occurs on the glove and on identifying the flow mechanism causing transition over the glove. Data from this flight-research effort included temperature, heat transfer, pressure measurements, airflow, and trajectory reconstruction. Hypersonic flight-research programs are an approach to validate design methods for hypersonic vehicles (those that fly more than five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5). Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, provided overall management of the glove experiment, glove design, and buildup. Dryden also was responsible for conducting the flight tests. Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, was responsible for the design of the aerodynamic glove as well as development of sensor and instrumentation systems for the glove. Other participating NASA centers included Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, and Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Orbital Sciences Corporation, Dulles, Virginia, is the manufacturer of the Pegasus vehicle, while Vandenberg Air Force Base served as a pre-launch assembly facility for the launch that included the PHYSX experiment. NASA used data from Pegasus launches to obtain considerable data on aerodynamics. By conducting experiments in a piggyback mode on Pegasus, some critical and secondary design and development issues were addressed at hypersonic speeds. The vehicle was also used to develop hypersonic flight instrumentation and test techniques. NASA's B-52 carrier-launch vehicle was used to get the Pegasus airborne during six launches from 1990 to 1994. Thereafter, an Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft, launched the Pegasus. The Pegasus launch vehicle itself has a 400- to 600-pound payload capacity in a 61-cubic-foot payload space at the front of the vehicle. The vehicle is capable of placing a payload into low earth orbit. This vehicle is 49 feet long and 50 inches in diameter. It has a wing span of 22 feet. (There is also a Pegasus XL vehicle that was introduced in 1994. Dryden has never launched one of these vehicles, but they have greater thrust and are 56 feet long.)
Date 01.01.1995
Crewmember in the aft flight …
johnsonspacecentermediaarchi …
Mission Specialist Kenneth C …
STS056-08-021
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 1993-04-17
creator NASA
identifier STS056-08-021
ASTER Gibraltar
PIA02657
Sol (our sun)
ASTER
Title ASTER Gibraltar
Original Caption Released with Image The Strait of Gibraltar separates Spain from Morocco. This image, acquired on July 5, 2000, covers an area 34 kilometers (21 miles) wide and 59 kilometers (37 miles) long in three bands of the reflected visible and infrared wavelength region. The promontory on the eastern side of the conspicuous Spanish port is the Rock of Gibraltar. Once one of the two classical Pillars of Hercules, the Rock was crowned with silver columns by Phoenician mariners to mark the limits of safe navigation for the ancient Mediterranean peoples. The rocky promontory still commands the western entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. The rocky limestone and shale ridge rises abruptly from the sea, to a maximum elevation of 426 meters (1,398 feet). A British colony, Gibraltar occupies a narrow strip of land at the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula. It is separated from the Spanish mainland by a neutral zone contained on a narrow, sandy isthmus. Because of its strategic location and formidable topography, Gibraltar serves mainly as a British fortress. Most of its sparse land is taken up by air and naval installations, and the civilian population is small. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. science team leader, Moshe Pniel of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high-resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The primary goal of the ASTER mission is to obtain high-resolution image data in 14 channels over the entire land surface, as well as black and white stereo images. With revisit time of between 4 and 16 days, ASTER will provide the capability for repeat coverage of changing areas on Earth's surface. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. science team leader, Moshe Pniel of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high-resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The primary goal of the ASTER mission is to obtain high-resolution image data in 14 channels over the entire land surface, as well as black and white stereo images. With revisit time of between 4 and 16 days, ASTER will provide the capability for repeat coverage of changing areas on Earth's surface. The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER will provide scientists, in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping and monitoring dynamic conditions and temporal change. Examples of applications include monitoring glacial advances and retreats, potentially active volcanoes, thermal pollution, and coral reef degradation, identifying crop stress, determining cloud morphology and physical properties, evaluating wetlands, mapping surface temperature of soils and geology, and measuring surface heat balance.
Blacker than Black (artist's …
PIA09378
Title Blacker than Black (artist's concept)
Original Caption Released with Image "" Click on image for QuickTime Movie This artist's concept illustrates the hottest planet yet observed in the universe. The scorching ball of gas, a "hot Jupiter" called HD 149026b, is a sweltering 3,700 degrees Fahrenheit (2,040 degrees Celsius) -- about 3 times hotter than the rocky surface of Venus, the hottest planet in our solar system. The planet is so hot that astronomers believe it is absorbing almost all of the heat from its star, and reflecting very little to no light. Objects that reflect no sunlight are black. Consequently, HD 149026b might be the blackest known planet in the universe, in addition to the hottest. The temperature of this dark and balmy planet was taken with NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. While the planet reflects no visible light, its heat causes it to radiate a little visible and a lot of infrared light. Spitzer, an infrared observatory, was able to measure this infrared light through a technique called secondary eclipse. HD 149026b is what is known as a transiting planet, which means that it crosses in front of and passes behind its star -- the secondary eclipse -- when viewed from Earth. By determining the drop in total infrared light that occurs when the planet disappears, astronomers can figure out how much infrared light is coming from the planet alone. The Spitzer observations of HD 149026b also suggest a hot spot in the middle of the side of the planet that always faces its star. Even though the planet is black, the spot would glow like a black lump of charcoal. HD 149026b is thought to be tidally locked, just as our moon is to Earth, such that one side of the planet is perpetually baked under the heat of its sun. Astronomers think that HD 149026b is probably blazing hot on its sunlit side, and much cooler on its dark side. A similar phenomenon was observed previously by Spitzer for the planet Upsilon Andromedae b ( http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/Media/releases/ssc2006-18/index.shtml [ http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/Media/releases/ssc2006-18/index.shtml ]). In the case of both planets, heat is not being evenly distributed across their surfaces. This is the opposite of what happens on Jupiter, where temperature differences are minimal all around. HD 149026b is located 256 light-years away in the constellation Hercules. It is the smallest known transiting planet, with a size similar to Saturn's and a suspected dense core 70 to 90 times the mass of Earth. It speeds around its star every 2.9 days.
General Description STS-98 Shuttle Mission Imagery
STS-53 Discovery, OV-103, DO …
Title STS-53 Discovery, OV-103, DOD Hercules digital electronic imagery equipment
Description STS-53 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, Department of Defense (DOD) mission Hand-held Earth-oriented Real-time Cooperative, User-friendly, Location, targeting, and Environmental System (Hercules) spaceborne experiment equipment is documented in this table top view. HERCULES is a joint NAVY-NASA-ARMY payload designed to provide real-time high resolution digital electronic imagery and geolocation (latitude and longitude determination) of earth surface targets of interest. HERCULES system consists of (from left to right): a specially modified GRID Systems portable computer mounted atop NASA developed Playback-Downlink Unit (PDU) and the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) developed HERCULES Attitude Processor (HAP), the NASA-developed Electronic Still Camera (ESC) Electronics Box (ESCEB) including removable imagery data storage disks and various connecting cables, the ESC (a NASA modified Nikon F-4 camera) mounted atop the NRL HERCULES Inertial Measurement Unit (HIMU) containing the three
Date Taken 1992-04-28
Strait of Gibraltar
Title Strait of Gibraltar
Description The Strait of Gibraltar (36.0N, 5.5W) as seen from the mid Atlantic looking due east into the world of the Mediterranean. In this one panoramic scene, it is apparent how the Strait, known since ancient times as the gates of Hercules, has been a boundry between the old and the new world as well as between Europe to the north and Africa to the south.
Date Taken 1984-10-13
STS-56 ESC Earth observation …
Title STS-56 ESC Earth observation of New York City at night
Description STS-56 electronic still camera (ESC) Earth observation image shows New York City at night as recorded on the 64th orbit of Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103. The image was recorded with an image intensifier on the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES). HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they merely point a modified 35mm camera and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real-time. Center coordinates on this image are 40.665 degrees north latitude and 74.048 degrees west longitude. (1/60 second exposure). Digital file name is ESC04034.IMG.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
STS-56 ESC Earth observation …
Title STS-56 ESC Earth observation of Lansing, Michigan at night
Description STS-56 electronic still camera (ESC) Earth observation image shows Lansing, Michigan at night as photographed during orbit 33 from Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103. The image was recorded with an image intensifier on the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES). HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they merely point a modified 35mm camera and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real-time. Center coordinates of this frame are 42.7 degrees north latitude and 84.5 degrees west longitude. The image was acquired at 1/60-second shutter speed and -2/3 exposure compensation. Digital file name is ESC03033.IMG.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
STS-56 crewmembers on aft fl …
Title STS-56 crewmembers on aft flight deck of Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103
Description STS-56 crewmembers pose on aft flight deck of Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, for this in-cabin electronic still camera (ESC) photograph. Clockwise from the bottom right corner are Commander Kenneth Cameron, Mission Specialist 3 (MS3) Ellen Ochoa, MS2 Kenneth D. Cockrell, and Pilot Stephen S. Oswald. The crewmembers are positioned in front of the onorbit station. The image was recorder with the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES). HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for Shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they merely point and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real time. In-cabin shots are for test purposes only.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
STS-56 ESC Earth observation …
Title STS-56 ESC Earth observation of metropolitan Philadelphia, PA at night
Description STS-56 electronic still camera (ESC) Earth observation image shows metropolitan Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at night as recorded on the 48th orbit of Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103. The image was recorded with an image intensifier on the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES). HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they merely point a modified 35mm camera and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real-time. Center coordinates on this image are 39.970 degrees north latitude and 75.157 degrees west longitude. Digital file name is ESC04033.IMG.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
STS-56 ESC Earth observation …
Title STS-56 ESC Earth observation of the coast of Peru with Lomas Point and Yuaca
Description STS-56 electronic still camera (ESC) Earth observation image shows the coast of Peru, as recorded on the 39th orbit of Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103. Lomas Point and the town of Yuaca are visible in the frame. The image was recorded by the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES). HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they merely point a modified 35mm camera and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real-time. Center coordinates of this image are 15.593 degrees south latitude and 74.851 degrees west longitude. (300mm lens, no filter). Digital file name is ESC06001.IMG.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
STS-56 ESC Earth observation …
Title STS-56 ESC Earth observation of Charlotte, North Carolina at night
Description STS-56 electronic still camera (ESC) Earth observation image shows Charlotte, North Carolina at night as photographed from Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103. The image was recorded with an image intensifier on the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES). HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they merely point a modified 35mm camera and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real-time. Center coordinates on this image are 35.221 degrees north latitude and 80.847 degrees west longitude. Digital file name is ESC04031.IMG.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
STS-56 ESC Earth observation …
Title STS-56 ESC Earth observation of Darwin, Australia
Description STS-56 electronic still camera (ESC) Earth observation image taken aboard Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, is of Darwin, Australia. The image was recorded with a 180mm lens on the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES). HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for Shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they just point a modified 35mm camera and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real time. In this observation, the center coordinates are 12.433 degrees south latitude and 130.939 degrees east longitude. Geolocation accuracy on this image is 2.3 nautical miles. Digital file name is ESC01037.IMG.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
STS-56 ESC Earth observation …
Title STS-56 ESC Earth observation of a smoke plume near Bonn, Germany
Description STS-56 electronic still camera (ESC) Earth observation image shows a smoke plume near Bonn, Germany, as photographed from Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103. The image was recorded with a 300mm lens on the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES). HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they merely point a modified 35mm camera and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real-time. Center coordinates of this frame are 50.8 degrees north latitude and 6.4 degrees east longitude. The camera was in shutter priority mode with a 1/500-second shutter speed and -2/3 exposure compensation. Digital file name is ESC03035.IMG.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
STS-56 ESC Earth observation …
Title STS-56 ESC Earth observation of the Mediterranean coastline of Turkey
Description STS-56 electronic still camera (ESC) Earth observation image shows the Mediterranean coastline of Turkey as photographed from Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103. The image was recorded with a 300mm lens on the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES). HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they merely point a modified 35mm camera and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real-time. Center coordinates of this frame are 36.2 degrees north latitude and 30.4 degrees east longitude. The camera was in shutter priority mode with a 1/500-second shutter speed and -2/3 exposure compensation. Digital file name is ESC03039.IMG.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
STS-56 ESC Earth observation …
Title STS-56 ESC Earth observation of Limnos Island in the Aegean Sea
Description STS-56 electronic still camera (ESC) Earth observation image taken aboard Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, shows Limnos Island in the Aegean Sea. The image was recorded with a 300mm lens on the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES). HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for Shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they merely point a modified 35mm camera and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real time. In this observation, the center coordinates are 39.9 degrees north latitude and 25.3 degrees east longitude. The camera was in shutter priority mode with a 1/500-second shutter speed and -2/3 exposure compensation. Digital file name is ESC03037.IMG.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
STS-56 ESC Earth observation …
Title STS-56 ESC Earth observation of Nagoya, Japan
Description STS-56 electronic still camera (ESC) Earth observation image shows Nagoya, Japan as recorded on the 44th orbit of Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103. Lomas Point and the town of Yuaca are visible in the frame. The image was recorded by the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES). HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they merely point a modified 35mm camera and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real-time. Center coordinates are 34.991 degrees north latitude and 136.870 degrees east longitude. (180mm lens, no filter). Digital file name is ESC06023.IMG.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
STS-56 ESC Earth observation …
Title STS-56 ESC Earth observation of Chicago, Illinois at night
Description STS-56 electronic still camera (ESC) Earth observation image shows Chicago, Illinois with part of the shoreline of Lake Michigan at night as photographed during orbit 33 from Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103. The image was recorded with an image intensifier on the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES). HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they merely point a modified 35mm camera and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real-time. Center coordinates of this frame are 41.8 degrees north latitude and 87.7 degrees west longitude. The image was acquired at 1/60-second shutter speed and -2/3 exposure compensation. Digital file name is ESC03032.IMG.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
STS-56 ESC Earth observation …
Title STS-56 ESC Earth observation of Korcula and Peljesac islands in Adriatic Sea
Description STS-56 electronic still camera (ESC) Earth observation image is of two small islands (Korcula and Peljesac) in the Adriatic Sea, southwest of Sarajevo. The scene was photographed during Discovery's, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103's, 33rd orbit with a 300mm lens on the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES). HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they merely point a modified 35mm camera and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real-time. Center coordinates of this frame are 42.9 degrees north latitude and 17.2 degrees east longitude. The camera was in shutter priority mode with a 1/500-second shutter speed and -2/3 exposure compensation. Digital file name is ESC03036.IMG.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
STS-56 ESC Earth observation …
Title STS-56 ESC Earth observation of Chicago, Illinois at night
Description STS-56 electronic still camera (ESC) Earth observation image shows Chicago, Illinois with part of the shoreline of Lake Michigan at night as photographed during orbit 33 from Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103. The image was recorded with an image intensifier on the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES). HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they merely point a modified 35mm camera and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real-time. Center coordinates of this frame are 41.8 degrees north latitude and 87.7 degrees west longitude. The image was acquired at 1/60-second shutter speed and -2/3 exposure compensation. Digital file name is ESC03031.IMG.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
STS-56 ESC Earth observation …
Title STS-56 ESC Earth observation of New Zealand (South Island)
Description STS-56 electronic still camera (ESC) Earth observation image shows New Zealand (South Island) as recorded on the 45th orbit of Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103. Westport is easily delineated in the image, which was recorded by the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES). HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they merely point a modified 35mm camera and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real-time. Center coordinates are 41.836 degrees south latitude and 171.641 degrees east longitude. (300mm lens, no filter). Digital file name is ESC07007.IMG.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
STS-56 ESC Earth observation …
Title STS-56 ESC Earth observation of St. Louis, Missouri at night
Description STS-56 electronic still camera (ESC) Earth observation image taken aboard Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, shows St. Louis, Missouri at night and was photographed during orbit 33. The image was recorded with an image intensifier on the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES). HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for Shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they merely point a modified 35mm camera and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real time. In this observation, the center coordinates are 38.6 degrees north latitude and 90.2 degrees west longitude. The image was acquired at 1/60-second shutter speed and -2/3 exposure compensation. Digital file name is ESC03030.IMG.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
STS-56 MS1 Foale and MS2 Coc …
Title STS-56 MS1 Foale and MS2 Cockrell on aft flight deck of Discovery, OV-103
Description STS-56 Mission Specialist 1 (MS1) Michael Foale (left) and MS2 Kenneth D. Cockrell pose on aft flight deck of Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, for this in-cabin electronic still camera (ESC) photograph. The two crewmembers are positioned in front of the onorbit station with a beam of sunlight shining through overhead window W8. The cable on the bottom right is part of the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES), connecting the HERCULES Attitude Processor (HAP) to the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). In-cabin shots with the camera are for test purposes only. HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for Shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they merely point and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real time. Digital file name is ESC01008.TGA.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
STS-56 ESC Earth observation …
Title STS-56 ESC Earth observation of Melbourne, Australia
Description STS-56 electronic still camera (ESC) Earth observation image is of Melbourne, Australia and was photographed from Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103. The image was recorded with a 300mm lens on the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES). HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they merely point a modified 35mm camera and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real-time. Center coordinates of this frame are 37.49 degrees south latitude and 144.58 degrees east longitude. North will be at the top if the picture is held with the thin trail of clouds at left edge, moving over Port Phillip Bay into Hobsons Bay. Digital file name is ESC07020.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
STS-56 ESC Earth observation …
Title STS-56 ESC Earth observation of a portion of the Himalayan mountain range
Description STS-56 electronic still camera (ESC) Earth observation image taken aboard Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, shows a portion of the Himalayan mountain range. The image was recorded with a 180mm lens on the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES). HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for Shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they merely point a modified 35mm camera and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real time. In this observation, the center coordinates are 27.822 degrees north latitude and 84.173 degrees east longitude. Geolocation accuracy on this image is 0.7 nautical miles. The Kali River runs from the east (top left corner) to the west (bottom right corner). Nepal's capital city of Kathmandu lies (out of frame) about 96 nautical miles east of the center point. Digital file name is ESC01039.IMG.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
STS-56 MS2 Cockrell with HER …
Title STS-56 MS2 Cockrell with HERCULES camera at overhead window W8 on OV-103's FD
Description STS-56 Mission Specialist 2 (MS2) Kenneth D. Cockrell records Earth imagery with the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES) 35mm camera. Cockrell is positioned under aft flight deck overhead window W8 with his back to the onorbit station controls and aft flight deck viewing window W10. HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for Shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth, as they merely point a modified 35mm camera and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real-time. The powder-box shaped attachment is the HERCULES inertial measurement unit (HIMU) with the Electronic Still Camera Electronic Box (ESCEB) underneath it. The STS-56 crew downlinked a number of the still images during the flight, while others are likely to be stored on disc and returned to Earth with the crew.
Date Taken 1993-04-17
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