Real Space: The Missions

[Drakenex]

REAL SPACE: THE MISSIONS

“The universe is probably littered with the one-planet graves of
cultures which made the sensible economic decision that there's
no good reason to go into space - each discovered, studied, and
remembered by the ones who made the irrational decision.”

― Randall Munroe

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Pop Chart Labs

 

 

 

Join us, @DiscoSlelge, @HooHungLow and me in a journey trough the history of man's space exploration!!

 

This is a series about real space exploration missions complemented with their history, objectives and details about the boosters who launched them.

Missions from the past, present and future are planned, always trying to be accurate but without exhausting details, and also keeping  stock-alike aesthetics.

 

 

Guide:

Chapter 1

• LEO communications - the TDRS Network
• Mars and Phobos observation - Phobos 2
• Operation Paperclip: The German Connection

 

 

 

 

Edited August 25, 2018 by Drakenex

[Drakenex]

The TDRS Network

 

Introduction:

Not exactly an exploration mission, the Tracking and Data Realy Satellite network of communication satellites  brings connectivity to several key components for NASA and various US agencies.

Constituted by 10 operational spacecraft across 3 Generations, the TDRS Network operates in S, Ka and Ku bands supporting basic telemetry and data relay, high speed internet access and basic navigation.

Satellite Generations:

• First Generation TDRS: models A to G - Launched by the Space Shuttle
• Second Generation TDRS: models H to J - Launched by the Atlas IIA
• Third Generation TDRS: models K to M - Launched by the Atlas V 401

 

The Missions:

TDRS-G (TDRS-7)

Launched by: Space Shuttle Atlantis  + IUS (inertial upper stage) on STS-70

Launch date: 13 July 1995

Launch site: KSC LC-39B

 

 

Discovery lifts off at 13:41:55 UTC

 

Shuttle's ET (external tank) separates from the orbiter and will re-enter the atmosphere being destroyed

Discovery cargo bay opens revealing its payload

The TDRS+IUS payload is released and separates from the orbiter

They will slowly separate before igniting the IUS first stage engine

About an hour later, IUS ignites, raising its payload to GTO (Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit)

IUS second stage takes over

TDRS-G separates from the truss attaching it to the IUS

The Satellite deploys its solar panels and antennas

Afters it commissioning period, the satellite  became fully operational

 

 

 

TDRS-H (TDRS-8)

 

Launched by: Atlas IIA

Launch date: 30 June 2000

Launch site: KSC SLC-36A

 

Lift-off! of Atlas IIA Carrying the TDRS-8 Satellite

 

1 vacuum optimized engine + 2 sustainers powers the Atlas IIA

 

Like all its predecessors before it, the Atlas IIA 1 and a 1/2 stage detaches leaving its main engine alone

 

Also, like a great part of the Atlas family, the centaur upper stage takes over making the payload orbit insertion

Twin RL-10 cryogenic engines power the high energy Centaur

The second-gen TDRS satellite deploys panels and antennas

and enters service after it commissioning period

 

 

 

TDRS-K (TDRS-11)

 

Launched by: Atlas V 401

Launch date: 31 January 2013

Launch site: KSC SLC-41

 

No so different than the last one, so I'll only cover some differences.

 

The NPO Energomash powered Atlas V

 

MECO (Main Engine Cut-Off) and retro-fire

The TDRS satellite firing its own engine to circularize its orbit

 

 

 

Well, see you next mission time!!

 

 

[DiscoSlelge]

Mars and phobos obersavtion

Phobos 2

Mission purpose : investigate on Mars atmosphere gaz composition and mars's moon.

Launch date : 12 july 1988

Launch site and launch vehicle : Baikonur; Proton K.

Proton K ready to launch.

At 17:01 Proton rises

Minutes after the launch the third stage enters in action.

LOK last stage kicks Phobos 2 on way to Mars !

The 29 January 1989 Phobos 2 enters in orbit around Mars and makes a quick fly by uppon Phobos

 

See you next time !

 

Edited August 15, 2018 by DiscoSlelge

[HooHungLow]

Operation Paperclip: The German Connection

 

Introduction:

During World War II the V-2 rocket was amongst the most advanced weapons produced by Naz!-Germany. Hundreds of V-2 Rockets were launched against Allied targets. Near the end of the war the United States and Soviet Union rushed to confiscate and reverse engineer the Naz! technology as a means to produce even more sophisticated weaponry for wars to come. In order to stifle the efforts of the Soviet Union, the United States launched Operation Paperclip, a secret program that recruited German scientist and engineers, such as former SS-Sturmbannführer Wernher von Braun to work for the US Military. With the help of von Braun, the US captured 100 V-2 rockets to the recently established White Sands Missile Range. From 1946-1951 the US Army fired 67 V-2 rockets from the site. 

The Missions:

V-2/A4 Testing

Launched by: US confiscated V-2 Rockets

Launch date(s): 1946-1951

Launch site: Launch Complex 33, White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, USA

Edited August 16, 2018 by HooHungLow

[kurgut]

nice! Is that in sandbox mode?

[DiscoSlelge]

On 8/21/2018 at 11:18 PM, kurgut said:

nice! Is that in sandbox mode?

For me it was

[Drakenex]

Interim I

 

Near future

The Dawn of Private Space

 

 

Near Future

SpaceX and Bigelow Aerospace Joint Space Station

Low Earth Orbit

 

Space tourism, medical and biological research, micro-gravity manufacturing ... only budgets not legislation nor the public eye will limit the capabilities  and reach of private orbital endeavors

 

 

Serviced and crewed by private developed (although stated funded) spacecraft, they represent the cutting  edge of aerospace technology

 

SpaceX Dragon V2

A Falcon 9, Spacex workhorse, launches it into orbit

 

 

Boeing Starliner CST-100

A man-rated Atlas V in an unique 422 configuration soars into orbit carrying Boeing's contribution 

 

 

 

Cargo dedicated spacecraft also constitutes an integral part of the service fleet 

 

SpaceX Dragon Cargo

 

 

 

And Sierra Nevada Corporation Dream Chaser Cargo

Also lifted by the mighty Atlas V in the powerful 552 configuration

 

 

 

 

 

 

From contractors to protagonists, private companies will surpass governments, with a different motivation but the same goal: reaching for the stars

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 30, 2018 by Drakenex

[Drakenex]

Chapter 2

Cassini-Huygens

 

A joint mission between NASA, ESA and Italy, explored Saturn's system for almost 15 years.

• Launch mass: 5,712 kg (12,593 lb)
• Power: ~885 watts (BOL); ~670 watts (2010); ~663 watts (EOM/2017)
• Rocket: Titan IV/Centaur
• Orbital insertion: July 1, 2004, 02:48 UTC
• Launch: Oct 15, 1997
• EOM: Sep 15, 2017
• Dry mass: 2,523 kg (5,562 lb)

 

Instruments:

 

Launch and Cruise Phase

15 October 1997 01:43 Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) – Cassini launched at 08:43 UTC inside Titan IVB/Centaur rocket.

Centaur Upper Stage sends the spacecraft into its journey

3 December 1998 22:06 PST – Cassini fired its main rocket engine for 90 minutes, setting the spacecraft on course for its second Venus flyby in 1999. The engine burn slowed the spacecraft by close to 450 meters per second (about 1,006 miles per hour) relative to the Sun. Cassini's speed went from 67,860 kilometers per hour (42,168 miles per hour) at the start of the maneuver to 66,240 kilometers per hour (41,161 miles per hour) at the end of the engine firing.

24 June 1999 13:30 PDT – Gravity-assisted flyby of Venus at 623 km.[12]

18 August 1999 03:28 UTC − Gravity-assisted flyby of Earth. An hour 20 minutes before closest approach, Cassini made the closest approach to the Moon at 377,000 km, and took a series of calibration images. The spacecraft flew past Earth at a distance of 1,171 kilometers (728 mi), passing most closely above the eastern South Pacific at 23.5°S 128.5°W. Cassini received a 5.5-kilometer-per-second (about 12,000-mile-per-hour) boost in velocity.

30 December 2000 10:05 UTC − Gravity-assisted flyby of Jupiter. Cassini was at its closest point (9.7 million kilometres, 137 Jovian radii) to Jupiter at this date, and performed many scientific measurements.[15] It also produced the most detailed global color portrait of Jupiter ever produced (seen on the right); the smallest visible features are approximately 60 km (37 mi) across.

 

Primary Mission Phase

18 May 2004 – Cassini entered the Saturn system. The gravitational pull of Saturn began to overtake the influence of the Sun.

1 July 2004 – The Saturn Orbit Insertion burn was successfully executed. At 7:11 p.m. PDT (10:11 p.m. EDT), Cassini crossed the ring plane between Saturn's F and G rings. Its antenna was oriented forward acting as a shield against small ring particles. At 7:36 p.m. PDT (10:36 p.m. EDT), the spacecraft began a critical 96-minute main engine burn to cut its velocity by 626 meters per second and permit a 0.02 x 9 million kilometer Saturn orbit. Right after that burn, pictures of the rings were taken and sent back to mission scientist as the spacecraft approached within 19,980 kilometers (12,400 miles) from the cloud tops.

 

The Spacecraft maneuvers to intercept Titan

 

25 December 2004 – Huygens probe separated from Cassini orbiter at 02:00 UTC.

27 December – NASA published a picture of Huygens taken from Cassini two days after release. It reported that the analysis of that picture shows that the probe is on the correct course within the expected error range. These checks were necessary in order to place the orbiter in the correct orientation to receive the data from the probe when it enters Titan's atmosphere.

28 December 2004 – OTM-10 was executed at 03:00 UTC in Spacecraft Event Time. This maneuver, also called the Orbit Deflection Maneuver (ODM), took Cassini off of a Titan-impacting trajectory and on to a flyby trajectory with the required altitude to receive data from the Huygens probe as it plunges into Titan.

 

14 January 2005 – Huygens entered Titan's atmosphere at 09:06 UTC and had landed softly on its surface about two hours later. This was confirmed by the reception of the carrier wave emitted by the probe during its descent and touchdown. At 16:19 UTC the Cassini orbiter started to relay to Earth the scientific data received from the probe. The first picture was released at 19:45 UTC, showing a view from about 16 km above the surface. A second picture taken from the probe at rest on the surface was released a short time later. Analysis of the data is ongoing.

Heat Shield Ejected - Parachute Opened

Cassini records and then relays all data collected by Huygens

Saturn in the background (artist concept)

Touch down

First human made object to land in the outer solar system

 

3 May 2005 – Cassini begins Radio occultation experiments on Saturn's Rings, to determine ring particle size distribution, on the scale of centimeters.

 

10 May 2005 – At the beginning of a period of focussed observation of the ring system of Saturn, slated to take until September, mission scientists announced the discovery of a new moon in the "Keeler gap" inside the "A" ring. Provisionally named S/2005 S 1 and later named Daphnis, it was first seen in a time-lapse sequence of images taken on 1 May. Imaging scientists had predicted the new moon's presence and its orbital distance from Saturn after last July's sighting of a set of peculiar spiky and wispy features in the Keeler gap's outer edge.

 

Equinox and Solstice Phase

 

June - October 2009 – Cassini observed Saturn during its equinox, or the time of Saturn's year where the sun is directly over its equator.

On 3 February 2010, NASA announced that a second mission extension until May 2017, a few months past Saturn's summer solstice, had been funded. The schedule included an additional 155 orbits, with 54 flybys of Titan, 11 of Enceladus ,22 of Rhea, and 3 of Dione. One of the flybys of Titan dipped below the ionosphere.

 

 

Grand Finale

On 15 September 2017, Cassini was deliberately disposed of via a controlled fall into Saturn's atmosphere, ending its nearly two-decade-long mission.
The last signal was received at 04:55:46 PDT.

 

 

Sources:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/timeline/index.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Cassini–Huygens

 

Thanks to @akronfor his awesome Cassini-Huygens rendition and @CobaltWolf for his excellent Titan/Centaur launcher