[meteorite-list] Meteorite damage & honoring the Shuttle Program

From: MexicoDoug <mexicodoug_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Jul 2011 19:41:23 -0400
Message-ID: <8CE115FD6DC6E0B-3328-7593_at_webmail-m145.sysops.aol.com>

Dear List -

Question, regarding meteorites: there were several instances of
alledged meteorite (or micrometeorite) damage to the Shuttles,
including a ding or two on the windshield. Although the likelyhood of
survival of asuch tiny material and even identifying exactly that is
was 'natural' embedded debris might be extremely miniscule, people like
Frank Kyte at UCLA have pulled more than one meteoritical rabbit out of
such a hat. Does anyone know if the damaged sections have been studied
for any residual meteoritical (or even space junk) material? Aren't
the damaged panels stored in a warehouse somewhere for further analysis
--- and would this have more than a snowball's chance on the face of
Mercury?

July 21 will be a melancholic day when the US Space Shuttle Endeavor
coasts to a successful stop, likely never to spread its wings again.
It will be time for a little medititation on how incredible the program
really is and was and has almost reached a status of being taken for
granted by many. Whatever the future of American space exploration
holds we'll be looking bacvk shortly on the Apollo and the Shuttle
program in the same category as Renasaaince paintings - sort of
dinosaurs of the past that did amazing space innovative aspects that we
couldn't repeat in the future under the current conditions. Sad, sad
and sad ... A moment of silent meditation and honor for the ships and
people behind them? As the Apollo program participants are reaching
their 80's it feels like a double whammy - two important losses at the
same time.


Kindest wishes
Doug




-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Baalke <baalke at zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>
To: Meteorite Mailing List <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Fri, Jul 15, 2011 5:44 pm
Subject: [meteorite-list] Juno/GRAIL/MSL Update - July 15, 2011




July 15, 2011

George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
george.h.diller at nasa.gov

STATUS REPORT: ELV-071511

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Spacecraft: Juno
Launch Vehicle: Atlas V-551 (AV-029)
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 41
Launch Date: Aug. 5, 2011
Launch Time: 11:34 a.m. EDT

At the Astrotech payload processing facility near Kennedy Space
Center, Juno has been loaded with its complement of fuel and oxidizer
propellants. Spin testing was conducted on July 12-13.

At Launch Complex 41, power-on testing for the fully integrated Atlas
V launch vehicle began on July 5. The Combined Systems Test, a launch
vehicle electrical test, was performed July 12. The next major test
of the Atlas V will be the "wet dress rehearsal" on July 19. The
rocket is fully loaded with liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen and RP-1
fuel for this test and a full countdown is performed.

The Juno spacecraft carries two redundant Flux Gate Magnetometer
instruments that will measure Jupiter's powerful magnetic
environment. Lab testing of heaters similar to ones on Juno, designed
to keep the instruments warm in space, indicated a small probability
that wire connections may not operate as expected. As a precaution,
NASA and Juno mission personnel decided to inspect the quality of
Juno's heater elements, and if necessary, repair solder joints
connecting the heaters' electrical wires to their mounting surfaces
to ensure mission success. Work is expected to be completed over the
weekend. The launch period for Juno is not expected to be affected.

Encapsulation of Juno into the payload fairing still is planned for
Monday. Photos and video will be taken by NASA prior to and during
the encapsulation process and will be provided to the news media.

Juno then will be transported to the launch pad and attached to the
rocket on July 26. The launch of Juno aboard a United Launch Alliance
Atlas V rocket continues to be scheduled for Aug. 5 at 11:34 a.m.
EDT.

The solar-powered Juno spacecraft will orbit Jupiter's poles 33 times
to find out more about the gas giant's origins, structure, atmosphere
and magnetosphere.


Spacecraft: GRAIL (Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory)
Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7920 Heavy
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 17B
Launch Date: Sept. 8, 2011
Launch Time: 8:37:06 a.m. EDT and 9:16:12 a.m. EDT

At Astrotech, cruise phase and science system functional checks of the
GRAIL spacecraft are finished. A lunar orbit insertion test also has
been successfully completed. GRAIL is to be moved to a hazardous
processing facility on Aug. 1 to begin preparations for fueling.

At NASA's Space Launch Complex 17B, the Delta II first and second
stage control system checks are now complete. The next major activity
will be cryogenic flow testing on July 21. The first stage will be
filled with liquid oxygen to check for leaks, and this also will
serve as a launch team certification.

GRAIL's primary science objectives will be to determine the structure
of the lunar interior, from crust to core, and to advance
understanding of the thermal evolution of the moon.


Spacecraft: Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity)
Launch Vehicle: Atlas V-541 (AV-028)
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 41
Launch Date: Nov. 25, 2011
Launch Time: 10:21 a.m. EST

The Mars Science Laboratory elements consisting of the Curiosity
rover, cruise stage, descent stage, back shell and heat shield are
each undergoing checkout and testing. The Curiosity rover will be
rotated to wheels down, and its instrument mast will be deployed on
July 19.

The Atlas V for the mission will arrive at Cape Canaveral Air Force
Station later this month. It will be an Atlas V-541 configuration
that will have four solid rocket boosters attached.

The rover's 10 science instruments will search for signs of life,
including methane, and help determine if the gas is from a biological
or geological source. The unique rover will use a laser to look
inside rocks and release the gasses so that its spectrometer can
analyze and send the data back to Earth.

Previous status reports are available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/index.html

-end-

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Received on Fri 15 Jul 2011 07:41:23 PM PDT