[meteorite-list] NASA's Stardust Sample Return Capsule and Entry Path Visible in Northwest

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon Jan 9 00:10:07 2006
Message-ID: <200601090508.k0958V503729_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

     
http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news104.html
 
NASA's Stardust Sample Return Capsule and Entry Path Visible in
Northwest

Stardust Mission Flight and Recovery Team
January 6, 2006

On January 15, 2006, after more than 7 years and billions of miles of
travel through space, NASA's Stardust spacecraft will release a
100-pound sample return capsule (SRC) to Earth with some precious cargo
-- pristine samples of comet and interstellar dust. Stardust will
provide the world's first opportunity to analyze preserved samples of
the fundamental building blocks of our Solar System that formed 4.6
billion years ago.

During the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, January 15th, the Stardust sample
return capsule's entry will occur at approximately 2:57 am Mountain
time. Peak re-entry heating is expected to occur at an altitude of 61
km, (200,000 ft or 38 statute miles). The main heating-phase occurs over
northern central Nevada, somewhat west & south of the corresponding
Genesis re-entry phase (Figures 1 & 2).

Figure 1 - Stardust Rentry Overview Map

Because the entry occurs in the pre-dawn darkness, the influence of the
moon is important for those viewing reentry. At that date & time the
moon will be just past full and will be high in the sky to the southwest
(66 degrees Elevation and -133 degrees Azimuth). For that reason, it is
believed that the best observing location will be south of the ground
track (Figure 1), placing the Moon at your back.

Figure 2 - Stardust Rentry Overview Map #2

There will be many other acceptable viewing sites right along the I-80
corridor in Nevada beginning from Winnemucca, Battle Mountain, and
Dunphy, as well as Carlin. Towns such as Elko, Nevada are close to the
ground track but because Elko faces northward, it may not be as good of
a viewing site. Despite what location you view the SRC entry, keep in
mind that you will only see it for about 30 seconds using a 20 deg
horizon visibility mask.

For those setting up instruments, there are some suitable state parks
such as South Fork Reservoir, which is about 16 miles south of Elko,
Nevada that would provide public land, and the ability to set up
instruments and camp. This site is located right under the flight path
so the SRC would go straight overhead about 50 miles downrange from the
peak heating point (peak heating is at 43 degree elevation). Whether the
park is open seems to depend on snow conditions so you should check with
Nevada Division of State Parks before arriving.

Although it is difficult to pinpoint exactly the "best" viewing
location, any site within the entry ground track and facing south would
be more ideal.

One final note, the sonic boom takes quite a while to travel down
through 40 miles of the Earth's atmosphere - so you need to expect it to
sound about 3 minutes after the SRC passes overhead.

Happy viewing!

Figure 3 - Stardust Azmuth, Elevation, Range Plot - Palisade Site

Figure 4 - Stardust Azmuth, Elevation, Range Plot - Carlin Site ">

Figure 5 - Stardust Azmuth, Elevation, Range Plot - Dunphy Site

Figure 6 - Stardust Azmuth, Elevation, Range Plot - Battle Mountain Site

Figure 7 - Azmuth, Elevation, Range Plot - Winnemucca Site

Figure 8 - Azmuth, Elevation, Range Plot - Elko Site

Figure 9 - Azmuth, Elevation, Range Plot - South Fork Reservoir Site
Received on Mon 09 Jan 2006 12:08:31 AM PST