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Posted by: paxdan Apr 15 2005, 08:20 AM

Well http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/index.html isn't going to get to 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (Chury) till 2014, but it's not to early to set up a thread. There are a bunch of earth fly-bys, a Mars encounter at 200km in 2007 and a few asteriod passes. Not to mention the mission to land on the comet itself.

Only another nine and a half years to go.

Posted by: spaceffm Apr 15 2005, 08:02 PM

Wow, i did not know that there will be a Mars Flyby.
Interesting...

Posted by: Sunspot Apr 15 2005, 11:16 PM

Also, I believe they will be observing Comet Tempel 1 during the Deep Impact encounter.

Posted by: centsworth_II Apr 16 2005, 02:09 AM

Wow, i did not know that there will be a Mars Flyby.
Interesting...

Posted by: paxdan Apr 17 2005, 09:43 AM

Here is a nice http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/SEMSZYV4QWD_0.html of the back of one of rosetta's solar pannels taken by one of the 6 micro cameras on the Philae lander. Looks like the pictures of the surface from the lander are gonna be sweet.

Posted by: DEChengst Apr 17 2005, 01:18 PM

For those that understand German this site has lots of info about the Rosetta mission:

http://www.bernd-leitenberger.de/rosetta.html
http://www.bernd-leitenberger.de/philae.html

Posted by: Decepticon Apr 20 2005, 02:39 AM

A few asteroid passes!

Great news. Wonder which ones???

Well http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/index.html isn't going to get to 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (Chury) till 2014, but it's not to early to set up a thread. There are a bunch of earth fly-bys, a Mars encounter at 200km in 2007 and a few asteriod passes. Not to mention the mission to land on the comet itself.

Only another nine and a half years to go.

Posted by: paxdan Apr 21 2005, 08:41 AM

During the first http://www.rssd.esa.int/SB/ROSETTA/include/The_Swingby.html by Rosetta which took place on the 4th of March, ESA ran a http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/SEMQ4RYEM4E_0.html to find the best ground based images of the spacecraft during closest approach. The http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMKI9W797E_FeatureWeek_0.html were announced on Monday. A gallery of all images taken of the spacecraft is available http://esamultimedia.esa.int/images/rosetta/contest/index.html.

I remember reading that due to the large size of rosetta's solar panels there was the hope that the shape of the spacecraft migh be resolvable, alas, only one submitter claims to have http://esamultimedia.esa.int/images/rosetta/contest/target7.html.

Rosetta meanwhile took some excellent photos of the earth and moon during the encounter

Posted by: cIclops Apr 21 2005, 05:40 PM

Here is a nice http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/SEMSZYV4QWD_0.html of the back of one of rosetta's solar pannels taken by one of the 6 micro cameras on the Philae lander. Looks like the pictures of the surface from the lander are gonna be sweet.

Posted by: paxdan Apr 22 2005, 12:12 AM

A few asteroid passes!

Great news. Wonder which ones???

Posted by: imran Apr 22 2005, 04:20 PM

And I thought the seven years that Cassini took to get to Saturn was long. I don't know what I will doing 9 and a half years from now. It is definitely going to be worth the wait. The pictures look really sharp!

Posted by: Sunspot May 3 2005, 10:22 PM

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/SEMT4V2IU7E_0.html

ESA’s comet chaser mission Rosetta took these infrared and visible images of Earth and the Moon, during the Earth fly-by of 4/5 March 2005 while on its way to Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

Posted by: Decepticon May 6 2005, 02:42 PM

A repeat of above data from TPS. http://planetary.org/news/2005/rosetta_earth-moon-images_0506.html

Posted by: BruceMoomaw Jun 22 2005, 08:05 PM

Good news on the problem with the sticky thermal door covering the OSIRIS cameras -- a problem which ESA had indicated in two status reports starting in January, but about which I simply could not pry any information from them. (Even Mike A'Hearn -- who is a co-investigator! -- had only been told that it was "some kind of stickiness".) ESA's close-mouthedness is a serious pain in the ass.

However, judging from the latest status report, they seem to have finally developed a software fix for it (after one unsuccessful earlier try).

http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=37534 :

"On 31 May a test of the OSIRIS door mechanism was carried out with the
presence of the PI team at ESOC. The purpose of this test was to
characterise the behaviour of the flight model, compare it with the test
results on the ground models and finalise the new software routines for the
control of the door to be uplinked on 14 June. The test was successful and
the OSIRIS team has already delivered the new software. ESOC is preparing
for next week's uplink and verification operations."

Posted by: BruceMoomaw Jun 22 2005, 08:06 PM

Postscript: they do plan to use the OSIRIS cameras -- along with all of Rosetta's other remote-sensing instruments -- to observe Tempel 1 during the Deep Impact collision.

Posted by: djellison Jun 22 2005, 10:19 PM

Bruce - would you classify ESA's press efforts as almost being obstructive in places?

Doug

Posted by: BruceMoomaw Jun 22 2005, 10:34 PM

I don't know if "obstructive" is the word, but "idiotic and counterproductive" are definitely applicable. I just stumbled across an old clipping from the JBIS on why the ESA chose to initially display the photos from Giotto in that way that made them totally incomprehensible (and infuriated Thatcher to the point that she forbade Britain to get involved in any major way with the ESA): they were DELIBERATELY made incomprehensible to the public so that the camera's principal investigator would have absolutely total control over their initial interpretation!

I don't know how much of this is the inevitable tangle that accompany international cooperation, and how much is due to the phenomenon in which Jeffrey Bell firmly believes: that European nations still have distinctly anti-democratic and pro-aristocratic tendencies in their political leadership and so still try to resort to "Father Knows Best" approaches in dealing with their own citizens. If so, they've just received another rude awakening on that front...

Posted by: djellison Jun 22 2005, 10:47 PM

I swear I saw some fantastic nebulae observations by one of the Rosetta instruments somewhere online at one point.

Buggered if I can find them now

Is there any sort of public-group that represents the public to Nasa? I'm not aware of one, but a representative body that say "right - you need to tell us about x, y, and z, and stop wasting money on b and c" or something? (nasawatch doesnt count )

I think something seriously needs to be done to sort ESA out. I wanted to find some HRSC images a few days ago, and it took me for ever to find that page that just has them all listed, it's ..well...crap.

The interface for HRSC data is worse than crap as well.

The Marsis thing is a case in point. We should have had a blog type thing, something, ANYTHING to keep us up to date, I figure there's about £1 of my money invested in MEX, so it's time for some pay back

Doug

Posted by: ljk4-1 Jan 11 2006, 07:38 PM

ROSETTA STATUS REPORT

Report for Period 9 December 2005 - 6 January 2006

The reporting period covers four weeks of passive cruise, with
monitoring and minor maintenance activities.

On the subsystems side, the attitude guidance has been changed to +X
Earth pointing on 14 December 2005, to reduce the disturbance torques
experienced by the spacecraft and therefore the fuel consumption for
reaction wheel offloading.

http://sci.esa.int/jump.cfm?oid=38558

Posted by: SigurRosFan Mar 1 2006, 11:20 AM

http://fr.arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0602631 - First albedo determination of 2867 Steins, target of the Rosetta mission

--- On the basis of its polarimetric slope value, we have derived an albedo of 0.45 +/-0.1, that gives an estimated diameter of 4.6 km, assuming an absolute V ma gnitude of 13.18 mag. ---

Posted by: BruceMoomaw Mar 1 2006, 11:50 PM

Thre's some speculation that Steins may be one of the rare E-type asteroids (enstatite chondrite) -- although it's so small that its near-IR spectrum is rather fuzzy.

Posted by: edstrick Mar 2 2006, 08:56 AM

The unusually high albedo measured with both polarimietry and with brightness + thermal infrared data (we need Spitzer measurements) really does seem to put this rock in the "e" category. I don't know how sure they currently are that this corresponds to rare and "weird" Enstatite chondrites. Is it the enstatite chondrites that have nearly identical oxygen isotope systematics to Earth and Moon rocks?

ANY opportunity to get a good look as something besides variations-on-a-theme of S type asteroids is extremely welcome. The only totally limited look we have of one is NEAR's nice flyby sequence of C type Mathilde, but it's just a nice sequence of pictures, mostly.

The short 6-hour rotation rate of Steins will help get some rotational coverage, like Gaspra and Ida.

Posted by: ugordan Mar 2 2006, 09:35 AM

What exactly will the closest approach distance to 2867 Steins be? I'll settle for an order-of-magnitude number if the distance is not precisely known yet.

Posted by: paxdan Mar 2 2006, 10:09 AM

QUOTE (ugordan @ Mar 2 2006, 09:35 AM)

Posted by: Bob Shaw Mar 18 2006, 05:37 PM

And earlier still:

February 2007 - Rosetta Mars flyby (200km altitude)

Bob Shaw

Posted by: ugordan Mar 18 2006, 05:46 PM

QUOTE (Bob Shaw @ Mar 18 2006, 06:37 PM)

Posted by: Bob Shaw Mar 18 2006, 05:49 PM

QUOTE (ugordan @ Mar 18 2006, 05:46 PM)

Posted by: BruceMoomaw Mar 19 2006, 01:14 AM

They definitely intend to use the MIRO microwave spectrometer during the Mars flyby -- the first time such an instrument has ever been used there -- to make Martian atmospheric observations. (Such a gadget would have been added to MRO if they'd had the weight margin for it). I believe they also intend to use many of the other instruments, too -- although most of them would just reiterate the far more sweeping orbital observations that Mars Express has been doing.

Posted by: JTN Mar 22 2006, 05:16 PM

Since I've just done the sums, I thought I'd share:
(Quite) approximate pixel size of the asteroids in http://www.mps.mpg.de/projects/rosetta/osiris/ (2048 x 2048 pixels @ 0.00115 deg/pix) at closest approach:
2867 Šteins: http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=873&pid=46374&st=15&#entry43680 @ 1700km => 135 pixels
21 Lutetia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/21_Lutetia @ 3000km => 1600 pixels

Posted by: ljk4-1 Mar 22 2006, 08:31 PM

Astrophysics, abstract
astro-ph/0603585

From: S. Alan Stern [view email]

Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2006 19:04:41 GMT (508kb)

Alice: The Rosetta Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph

Authors: S.A. Stern, D.C. Slater, J. Scherrer, J. Stone, M. Versteeg, M.F. A'Hearn, J.L. Bertaux, P.D. Feldman, M.C. Festou, J.Wm. Parker, O.H.W. Siegmund

Comments: 11 pages, 7 figures

We describe the design, performance and scientific objectives of the NASA-funded ALICE instrument aboard the ESA Rosetta asteroid flyby/comet rendezvous mission. ALICE is a lightweight, low-power, and low-cost imaging spectrograph optimized for cometary far-ultraviolet (FUV) spectroscopy. It will be the first UV spectrograph to study a comet at close range. It is designed to obtain spatially-resolved spectra of Rosetta mission targets in the 700-2050 A spectral band with a spectral resolution between 8 A and 12 A for extended sources that fill its ~0.05 deg x 6.0 deg field-of-view. ALICE employs an off-axis telescope feeding a 0.15-m normal incidence Rowland circle spectrograph with a concave holographic reflection grating. The imaging microchannel plate detector utilizes dual solar-blind opaque photocathodes (KBr and CsI) and employs a 2 D delay-line readout array. The instrument is controlled by an internal microprocessor.

During the prime Rosetta mission, ALICE will characterize comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko's coma, its nucleus, and the nucleus/coma coupling; during cruise to the comet, ALICE will make observations of the mission's two asteroid flyby targets and of Mars, its moons, and of Earth's moon.

ALICE has already successfully completed the in-flight commissioning phase and is operating normally in flight. It has been characterized in flight with stellar flux calibrations, observations of the Moon during the first Earth fly-by, and observations of comet Linear T7 in 2004 and comet 9P/Tempel 1 during the 2005 Deep Impact comet-collision observing campaign

http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0603585

Posted by: GravityWaves Mar 25 2006, 05:47 PM

QUOTE (Bob Shaw @ Mar 18 2006, 02:37 PM)

Posted by: Rakhir Mar 25 2006, 09:39 PM

QUOTE (GravityWaves @ Mar 25 2006, 06:47 PM)

I've heard nothing on this Mars flyby where does ESA release its press info ?

Posted by: ljk4-1 Mar 28 2006, 06:03 PM

Astrophysics, abstract
astro-ph/0603720

From: Jessica Agarwal [view email]

Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2006 13:00:59 GMT (713kb)

Imaging the Dust Trail and Neckline of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

Authors: J. Agarwal (1), H. Boehnhardt (2), E. Gruen (1 and 3) ((1) MPI-K Heidelberg, (2) MPS Katlenburg-Lindau, (3) HIGP Honolulu)

Comments: 4 pages, 3 figures, to be published in the proceedings book of the conference "Dust in Planetary Systems 2005"

We report on the results of nearly 10 hours of integration of the dust trail and neckline of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P henceforth) using the Wide Field Imager at the ESO/MPG 2.2m telescope in La Silla. The data was obtained in April 2004 when the comet was at a heliocentric distance of 4.7 AU outbound. 67P is the target of the Rosetta spacecraft of the European Space Agency. Studying the trail and neckline can contribute to the quantification of mm-sized dust grains released by the comet. We describe the data reduction and derive lower limits for the surface brightness. In the processed image, the angular separation of trail and neckline is resolved. We do not detect a coma of small, recently emitted grains.

http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0603720

Posted by: Rakhir Nov 21 2006, 07:57 AM

A busy period for Rosetta :
- Honda comet tail observation last July
- Lutetia observation in January (At very far distance I guess. Does anyone know the distance ?)
- Mars flyby in February
- Jupiter observation in April in support of New Horizon

http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=40366

Posted by: tedstryk Nov 21 2006, 12:26 PM

QUOTE (Rakhir @ Nov 21 2006, 07:57 AM)

Posted by: elakdawalla Nov 21 2006, 05:32 PM

QUOTE (Rakhir @ Nov 20 2006, 11:57 PM)

Posted by: IM4 Nov 21 2006, 07:10 PM

>Lutetia observation in January (At very far distance I guess. Does anyone know the distance ?)
approximately 1.62 AU at January 1, 2007 and increasing up to 1.8 AU by the end of the month.

Quite strange moment for imaging, Rosetta will have tens of "encounters" within 0.1 AU while going through inner parts of Main belt after 2007-2008. Of course , it will be rather small asteroids, smaller than giant Lutetia (almost 100 km long), but yet suitable targets for exporation.

Posted by: Rakhir Nov 21 2006, 09:24 PM

QUOTE (IM4 @ Nov 21 2006, 10:10 PM)

Posted by: mchan Nov 22 2006, 04:15 AM

QUOTE (Rakhir @ Nov 21 2006, 01:24 PM)

Posted by: Holder of the Two Leashes Nov 22 2006, 05:57 AM

Does anyone know whether it will be possible to do a mass determination during the Lutetia flyby? Usually these require ultra stable oscillators attached to the transmitters, in order to get a stable enough frequency to track the doppler shift. And you would like to fly as close to your target as possible.

Seeing as how it's an M type, a density measurement, even if it's rough but reasonable (spec. grav +/- 1.5), would be a very useful piece of information.

Posted by: edstrick Nov 22 2006, 11:43 AM

a 3000 km flyby is pretty useless for any asteroid mass determination unless the 'oid is something really big, like over 100 km. What's Lutetia's est. diam?

Posted by: mchan Nov 22 2006, 11:46 AM

Around 100 km. So it's borderline.

Posted by: ugordan Nov 22 2006, 01:21 PM

Well, Galileo flybys of Gaspra and Ida were around the same ballpark distance (1600 and 2400 km, respectively) and mass estimates were acquired, probably through two-way doppler before and after the encounter. Rosetta is reaction wheel controlled so in principle it should allow a rough mass estimate to be given in the same way, especially since Lutetia is significantly more massive than the former two so its signature should be much more easily detectable.

EDIT: On second thought, determining Ida's mass was much more straightforward. It has a moon orbiting at a known distance and a known orbital period so mass can be determined to high accuracy. As for Gaspra, the http://radioscience.jpl.nasa.gov/publications/dsn.html has this to say:

Posted by: Rakhir Nov 29 2006, 09:47 PM

Rosetta warms up for Mars swing-by
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMNJ8D4VUE_index_0.html

Instruments from both Rosetta orbiter and Philae lander will be used during the observation campaign.
The purpose of the 36-hour observation campaign of 21-Lutetia is to understand the rotation direction of the asteroid.

Rosetta will be able to observe Mars from about 20 hours before it makes its closest approach to about a few weeks after.
Rosetta instruments will be switched off around the eclipse period. However, Philae lander will still be operating and taking measurements during the eclipse as the lander has its own independent power system.

Posted by: mchan Nov 30 2006, 04:45 AM

The ESA Rosetta website has a list of the various planetary and asteroid flyby's and their dates, but I did not find a graphic / plot of the trajectory. Is there a figure of the trajectory on ESA (or another public) website that shows the flyby's similar to the figure on the Messenger website for the Messenger mission --

http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/the_mission/trajectory.html

Posted by: AlexBlackwell Nov 30 2006, 08:07 PM

For those interested in this kind of thing, a special issue of Space Science Reviews is in the works that will publish several Rosetta-related papers, mostly dealing with the instruments. Several of these papers are in press (i.e., "http://www.springerlink.com/content/1572-9672/?sortorder=asc&Content+Status=Accepted"), and, for a limited time, SpringerLink is offering free access for non-subscribers, though one may have to register (freely).

Also, note that a http://www.springerlink.com/content/q58315621w03/?p=4002b36eece2422599f02be6e8edbb65&pi=0 on the James Webb Space Telescope was just published, and I believe access is free to this one as well.

Posted by: stevesliva Dec 1 2006, 05:06 AM

I saw a passing mention of Phobos and Deimos observations... will these improve visual imagery/catrography, or does Rosetta have some new instruments to bring to bear... or both?

Posted by: ustrax Dec 1 2006, 04:55 PM

QUOTE (stevesliva @ Dec 1 2006, 05:06 AM)

Posted by: IM4 Dec 5 2006, 07:04 PM

QUOTE (mchan @ Nov 30 2006, 04:45 AM)

Posted by: ugordan Dec 5 2006, 07:10 PM

QUOTE (IM4 @ Dec 5 2006, 08:04 PM)

Posted by: mchan Dec 6 2006, 07:26 AM

IM4,

Thanks for the doc.

Posted by: Rakhir Jan 26 2007, 03:19 PM

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMNRESMTWE_index_0.html

An animated sequence of Lutetia imaging and an image of Mars and the Milky Way taken by OSIRIS.

Posted by: elakdawalla Jan 26 2007, 05:18 PM

I can't get RealPlayer or Windows Media Player to play the high-res version of the animation. Is anyone else having more success?

I wish ESA would post these things in a format that I could more easily repost. I know that animated GIF isn't the world's best animation format but it's something that I can pull individual frames out of and resize for posting...

That Mars and Milky Way image is really gorgeous, though!

--Emily

Posted by: nprev Jan 26 2007, 05:35 PM

I can't get it to work, either, Emily; must be the site itself.

Agree with you, though: beautiful pics! Almost tempted to infer that the dark spot on Mars is Syrtis Major, but in all probability it's just an artifact.

Posted by: ustrax Jan 26 2007, 05:37 PM

Emily,

you have to download the http://www.divx.com/ in order to see it.

EDITED: ...And the asteroid's details are quite remarkable...

Posted by: ustrax Jan 26 2007, 05:42 PM

QUOTE (IM4 @ Dec 5 2006, 07:04 PM)

Posted by: AlexBlackwell Jan 29 2007, 08:51 PM

http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=40588
29 Jan 2007 09:29
Report for Period 13 January to 26 January 2007

Posted by: yaohua2000 Feb 3 2007, 04:23 PM

Rosetta will be soon exactly 10,000,000 miles away from Mars at 2007-Feb-04 05:26:33 UTC.

The spacecraft is currently going almost directly toward Mars with a speed of about 20560 mph.

Posted by: ugordan Feb 3 2007, 04:35 PM

So, what is a more significant figure: 10,000,000 miles or 10,000,000 km?

Posted by: djellison Feb 3 2007, 04:36 PM

What's a mile?

(well - it's a European spacecraft after all )


Doug

Posted by: ugordan Feb 3 2007, 04:41 PM

A mile is in the eye of the beholder

Statute, nautical, imperial... yadayadayada...

Posted by: nprev Feb 3 2007, 04:51 PM

I'm all for the metric system. If I could convince the USAF Reserve to let me run 2 km instead of 2 miles for my biannual physical fitness test, life would be better...

Posted by: centsworth_II Feb 3 2007, 04:57 PM

The great thing about using a variety of units: miles, km, sols, days, etc.
is there are so many more milestones to celebrate. The more the merrier!

Posted by: NMRguy Feb 3 2007, 06:23 PM

QUOTE (djellison @ Feb 3 2007, 05:36 PM)

What's a mile?

(well - it's a European spacecraft after all )
Doug

Posted by: djellison Feb 3 2007, 06:27 PM

If the UK would switch to KM, I'd be very happy.

Doug

Posted by: tedstryk Feb 4 2007, 11:05 PM

I'll admit, I am a stick in the mud when it comes to metric...for space exploration, great, but as for every day life, give me miles, feet, pounds, and inches. Well, off to watch the game...

Posted by: dilo Feb 5 2007, 07:30 AM

Ted, why to complicate your life using Km in space and Miles on Earth?
I have impression that the only way to convince all to use the same unit system is... to create a new one!
I know, is a madness... anyway, what do you think of the space covered by light in a billionth of sec? (hey, you should like it, is pretty close to a foot!). Then use all power of 10 units (metric is better from this standpoint, no doubt).
Even better, we could divide the day in 10^5 "seconds" and we will have such a lenght unit equal to 259mm or about 10 inch)... ok, stop the metric madness!

Posted by: ngunn Feb 5 2007, 09:17 AM

QUOTE (djellison @ Feb 3 2007, 06:27 PM)

Posted by: djellison Feb 5 2007, 09:42 AM

Wouldn't you rather have a litre

Doug

Posted by: ngunn Feb 5 2007, 10:00 AM

Even that's not strictly SI. I'll have a cubic metre and a pork pie please.

Posted by: djellison Feb 5 2007, 10:49 AM

I'm reminded of a rather foul song I co-wrote for a laugh whilst a teenager...I'll share it with you next time I see you - not suitable for forum consumption

John the Grocers life fell through the ground,
When he got nicked for selling apples by the pound.....

Doug

Posted by: tedstryk Feb 5 2007, 10:50 AM

QUOTE (djellison @ Feb 5 2007, 09:42 AM)

Wouldn't you rather have a litre

Doug

Posted by: ugordan Feb 5 2007, 11:15 AM

QUOTE (tedstryk @ Feb 5 2007, 11:50 AM)

Posted by: djellison Feb 5 2007, 11:52 AM

Basically, in the 1970s, there was an abortive attempt to make America metric, but a few things did change and have stayed. My understanding is that something similar happened in the UK, but got a lot farther. I know the whole Celsius thing has been a point of confusion when I am on that side of the puddle (which collectively over the course of my life would total up to about a year), because, well, 40 degrees instinctively sounds cold to me, even though I know that it isn't on the Celsius scale.

Posted by: dvandorn Feb 5 2007, 03:29 PM

As an American, I never got to see these "in person," but I saw one on a news story here. You see, when Britain went over to a decimal money system, they ran a series of public service announcements urging people to use the new decimal money.

The PSAs had a little jingle that I still recall, perhaps because of the actual way they stated some things. Specifically, while the decimal money was called decimal, the old-style money-counting system was referred to by the abbreviations for pound, shilling and pence, which for some odd (and I'm sure quite English) reason was abbreviated to "LSD." So you got:

"Decimal shops
Give decimal change,
LSD shops give...
LSD change!"

Hearing that for the first time, I figured there was no problem -- you'd have no issue getting rid of LSD change. Just invite a lot of people from San Francisco...

-the other Doug

Posted by: tty Feb 5 2007, 07:22 PM

I can't understand why people would want to go metric, after all what's wrong with the old (Imperial?) system:

12 lines to an inch, 12 inches to a foot, 3 feet to a yard, 220 yards to a furlong, 8 furlongs to a mile and 3 miles to a league.

16 drams to an ounce, 16 ounces to a pound, 14 pounds to a stone, 2 stones to a quarter, 4 quarters to a hundredweight and 20 hundredweight to a long ton.


Now that is what I call creative units, and if it leads to an occasional case of unintentional lithobraking, so what.

Posted by: Greg Hullender Feb 5 2007, 10:51 PM

Don't forget troy ounces. That's what makes the joke about "which weighs more, a pound of gold or a pound of feathers" work. (Answer: a pound of feathers weighs more, because a pound (avoirdupois) of feathers is 453 grams but a pound (troy) of gold is only 373 grams.)

--Greg

Posted by: helvick Feb 6 2007, 02:39 AM

The part that I find really odd is that "Imperial" measures are fundamentally defined by calling on metric SI base units e.g. the international avoirdupois pound is defined officially as being equal to exactly 453.59237 SI grams. This opens up a whole other argument about pounds being units of force and not mass but I really don't think we should go there again.

In any case surely shouldn't the Pound be defined as equal to the weight of one of George Washington's boots or something?

Posted by: nprev Feb 6 2007, 02:47 AM

Well, one of my latest classes is a crash physics review rolled into new stuff for space sensors, and all I can say is thank God for the metric system. I have enough trouble figuring out where to put decimal points without worrying about duodecimal/hex unit conversions to boot!!!

Posted by: dvandorn Feb 6 2007, 04:22 AM

QUOTE (helvick @ Feb 5 2007, 08:39 PM)

Posted by: ustrax Feb 8 2007, 05:54 PM

Precious...Just precious...

http://www.spaceurope.blogspot.com

Posted by: climber Feb 10 2007, 10:27 AM

Isn't it ironic that all this "discution" about metric vs imperial occurs in the Rosetta's topic ?
M.Champollion, where are you?

Posted by: Greg Hullender Feb 12 2007, 02:44 AM

I think it's because the switch to the metric system is almost the latest news we have from over there.

--Greg ;-)

Posted by: AlexBlackwell Feb 15 2007, 05:34 PM

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/SEMKRCO2UXE_0.html
ESA
15 February 2007

As an aside, several Rosetta instruments and investigations-related papers have been posted over the past few weeks in the "http://www.springerlink.com/content/1572-9672/?sortorder=asc&Content+Status=Accepted" section of the journal Space Science Reviews. These papers will be assigned to a specific issue(s) at a later date.

Posted by: GravityWaves Feb 19 2007, 02:09 PM

QUOTE (ustrax @ Dec 1 2006, 01:55 PM)

Posted by: djellison Feb 19 2007, 02:20 PM

Minerva wasn't much of a scientist - camera, temp data and the ability to 'bounce' itself around a little.

Philae - however...

Rosetta Lander Scientific Instruments

Investigation of comet materials http://www.rosetta-lander.net/science/cosac1.htm MPAe D chemical analysis with mass spectrometer (MS) and gas chromatograph (GC); pressure sensor http://www.rosetta-lander.net/science/ptolemy1.htm Open University UK isotope analysis (ion trap, GC) http://www.rosetta-lander.net/science/apx1.htm MPCh D element analysis ( Alpha Xray Spectrometer) Cameras for viewing of the comet core http://www.rosetta-lander.net/science/civa1.htm IAS F panorama, stereo and microscope cameras, imaging infrared spectrometer http://www.rosetta-lander.net/science/rolis1.htm DLR D landing and down looking camera Investigation of comet core structure http://www.rosetta-lander.net/science/sesame1.htm DLR D seismic measurements, dust monitoring, permittivity probing http://www.rosetta-lander.net/science/consert1.htm CEPHAG/LPG F microwave tomography http://www.rosetta-lander.net/science/mupus1.htm Univ. Münster D penetrator with thermal sensors Plasma and magnetic environment http://www.rosetta-lander.net/science/romap1.htm Univ. Braunschweig D magnetic field and plasma monitoring Sample Retrieval http://www.rosetta-lander.net/science/sd21.htm Politecnico di Milano I drilling and sample distribution

Posted by: edstrick Feb 20 2007, 09:44 AM

"Philae - however..."

The entire Rosetta mission is entirely comparable to Galileo/Jupiter Probe, and Cassini/Huygens and in older times, Viking Orbiters and Landers in ambitiousness and in the scientific scope and variety of instruments. This is one big, impressive mission.

Posted by: mchan Feb 20 2007, 11:10 AM

Indeed. I think of it as CRAF+. Kudos to ESA for stepping up with an enhanced mission after NASA had its budget slashed and had to renege on some of its international commitments.

Posted by: Analyst Feb 20 2007, 01:56 PM

Correct. This is a flagship. It will give us much more return than Deep Impact, Contour and Stardust combined.

Not to discount the samples from Stardust or the possibility to study 3 different comets with Contour. But long term study is the key. To see the change, not to take snapshots. Using a suite of instruments. You can repeat observations to answer new questions. This is something Contour or Deep Impact could not do. Deep Impact in particular has been a big disappointment. For me it looked more like an engineering demonstration than a science mission. Stardust is a little bit different: There you have the material and can study it again and again. But these very short flybys should be something of the past (This is even true for New Horizons, but hey, there is no way to orbit Pluto, so you must flyby).

If I look at Discovery missions so far, many did carry only very limited instruments: MPF, Stardust, Contour, Deep Impact. On the other hand, orbiters were much more productive: NEAR, Lunar Prospector, hopefully Messenger and Dawn (although Dawns instruments are very limited too). Genesis is a little bit different, but Kepler has a very limited scope too.

I go as far and say: One flagship like Cassini (3 billion $) gives you much more return than 8 Discovery missions (400 million $ each). Discovery missions need a very large amount of their budget just to built the spacecraft bus and launch it. The science instruments are only tiny fraction. This relationship get better the bigger the mission.

Analyst

Posted by: djellison Feb 20 2007, 02:45 PM

But of course, one LV failure with 8 discovery missions is a little less drastic than a single LV failure on a flagship mission. There are benefits to spreading things out a little.

Doug

Posted by: ngunn Feb 20 2007, 03:02 PM

I've been thinking about this issue in relation to possible future outer solar system missions, possibly with major inter-agency collaborations. One possibility would be to launch component modules separately and assemble them in Earth orbit. You could have a single interplanetary propulsion unit plus entirely independent modules for (for example) planet orbiter, moon orbiter, balloon probes module, lander - the failure of any one of which would not jeopardise the entire mission. Of course it would be desirable to have a back-up interplanetary propulsion unit on the ground that the other bits could just wait in orbit for if necessary.

Posted by: centsworth_II Feb 20 2007, 03:23 PM

QUOTE (djellison @ Feb 20 2007, 09:45 AM)

Posted by: Analyst Feb 20 2007, 03:29 PM

All this considered, I stand by my opinion. Maybe the risks are higher (all eggs in one basket), but the benefits are higher too. For me, subjective, the benefits of flagship missions outweight the risks of loosing one.

Analyst

Posted by: tedstryk Feb 21 2007, 08:49 PM

QUOTE (Analyst @ Feb 20 2007, 03:29 PM)

Posted by: elakdawalla Feb 21 2007, 09:14 PM

I just thought I'd point out something I http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00000866/: The Society is sending your very own Doug Ellison to Darmstadt, Germany to cover the Mars flyby for the blog, since I can't travel for business right now. Be nice and give him some (virtual) company as he stares blearily at his laptop screen beginning around 2 am CET on Sunday...

--Emily

Posted by: ngunn Feb 21 2007, 09:51 PM

I noticed that in your blog and was duly delighted. He will have plenty of company!

Posted by: SFJCody Mar 12 2007, 05:35 PM

Is a long extended mission a possibility for Rosetta?

http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/db_shm?sstr=67P&group=com&search=Search

seems to indicate that the target comet will make a distant Jupiter pass around 2017/2018

Posted by: ustrax Mar 13 2007, 10:20 AM

http://spaceurope.blogspot.com/2007/03/rosetta-120307-osiris-update_13.html.

Posted by: Stu Mar 13 2007, 10:23 AM

Thanks ustrax... look at the last paragraph... "No timetable for publication" of the acquired data.

... sigh ...

Posted by: tedstryk Mar 13 2007, 10:45 AM

Did he say anything about the trajectory for the upcoming earth flyby (or does anybody know?) I have long wished another spacecraft would make a Galileo-like flyby with its cameras on.

Posted by: ugordan Mar 13 2007, 10:47 AM

Emily has some new info in her http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00000903/:

Posted by: djellison Mar 13 2007, 11:41 AM

MOST.

Not all.

Doug

Posted by: Stu Mar 13 2007, 11:45 AM

weren't spectacular for them to merit public release

You see, I don't get that at all... what, we're only allowed to see "spectacular" images now? I've sat through three mouse-clicking, RSI-inducing years of countless (clink) black and white pictures of MER sundials for pity's sake, so I don't care if they're "spectacular" or not, I'm ***interested***!! I want to see them, and share them with all the people I give my talks to, not just because, in a very small way, we all helped pay for them, but because it's what's supposed to happen. Isn't it? They design, build and launch the probes, they take pictures and measurements, send the data back, and we are told what they learned - or did I miss something? Did I miss a Part B of the Plan that states that the only people allowed to see the results are the people in the offices and labs, because the "Little People" couldn't possibly understand what the missions learned..?

Sorry, but I feel quite strongly about this. I'm busting my guts Out There giving talks at every opportunity, being an advocate for the world's space programs, trying to convince people that the money spent on space probes is well spent and wouldn't be better spent on other things, and when I come up against something like this it just makes my job so much harder.

Posted by: tedstryk Mar 19 2007, 05:57 PM

I received word that VEx will be having, as mentioned before, a major release within a month, and that further releases should be monthly. I look forward to this, but I'll believe it when I see it.

Posted by: Rakhir Mar 20 2007, 11:05 PM

OSIRIS camera on Rosetta obtains ‘light curve’ of asteroid Steins

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/SEMCC2R08ZE_0.html

Posted by: helvick Mar 20 2007, 11:36 PM

I love the "relatively slow speed of about 9kilometres per second" note for editors. You know you're spending too much time in space when 40,000 kph is relatively slow.

Posted by: ustrax Mar 21 2007, 10:50 AM

Here's a Steins http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s18/spacEurope/?action=view&current=2867-Steins.flv.

Posted by: cndwrld Mar 21 2007, 01:34 PM

Information on Rosetta's Earth Fly-By 2

Someone was asking for information on the Rosetta fly-by of Earth in November 2007. I asked the Rosetta science ops people for some info.

The closest approach (CA) will take place on November 13 (DOY317). At the moment of closest approach, the altitude of Rosetta will be 5330 km above the Earth surface, at sub-surface position: 63°46' S, 74°35' W (local time 16:17). A glance at Google Earth shows the closest approach is above the Magellen Strait, between South America and Antarctica. Not the spot I would have picked, but that's why I don't work in Flight Dynamics.

The Earth solar elongation around closest approach shows a very unfavorable configuration for observing the Earth during the ESB2 event. The solar angle from +Z, towards +X, must not exceed 140 degrees for thermal reasons. We assume a minimum observing angle of 10° and a maximum angle of 140°. For solar elongation angles between 20 and 95 degrees, the duration of the attitude is not constrained; for larger angles (but smaller than the hard upper limit 140 degrees at 1 AU) the maximum attitude period is 4 hours. Attitudes with SEA smaller than 20 degrees would violate several instrument constraints.

Power and data rate are not expected to present any constraints, since we are at 1 AU.

Some of the ideas being explored for instrument operations are shown below.

ALICE (AL): UV spectrometer observations:
• decontamination) and dark exposures)
• 1 Earth pointing spectral calibration and flatfield using Earth Airglow)
• 3 Moon pointing observatoins with absolute flux calibration and flatfield using Moon’s limb, slit in N-S direction)
• 1 stellar pointing for calibrations with preferentially Vega

MIRO (MR): Microwave Instrument for the Rosetta Orbiter Observations:
• 2 Earth pointings to stare at Earth during approach and recession for detector linearity calibrations.
• 2 Moon pointings to stare at Moon during approach and recession for detector linearity calibrations.
• 1 Asteroid Mode sequence test run at closest approach

OSIRIS (SR): Science camera SR Observations:
• 3 Moon pointings for science – spectrophotometry of lunar disk), Moon Na/OH tail, also straylight calibration)
• 2 Stellar pointings for calibrations on Vega and 16 Cyg
• 1 Earth pointing for calibration and imaging, Spectroscopy and straylight
• 3 imaging observations

VIRTIS (VR): Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer Observations:
• 1 stare to Earth terminator, repeated several times before CA
• 2 scans from Earth limb to terminator, repeated several times before CA
• 1 raster mosaic

PHILAE (LZ): Rosetta Lander Observations:
• continuous RoLand Magnetometer and Plasma Monitor (ROMAP) measurements 6 days before and 1 day after CA
• 1 imaging of different CIVA images during CA

Magnetometer (RP) Observation: continuous magnetometer science observation 7 days around the CA

Radio Science (RS) Observation: one ground station configuration for radio science anomalous acceleration measurement

SREM (SE): Radiation Monitor Observations: continuous science observation with increased sampling of 24 hours around CA

So to summarize what I take away from this, the trajectory is not great for observations due to observation constraints. We come in on the dark side, close to the terminator, which means we have the highest relative speeds with the worst observing conditions when we are closest. Still, the early planning has a lot going on. They'll try to catch more images with the Lander camera, like they did at Mars, but they are not certain what the orientation will be so it isn't at all certain yet. During the long cruise phase, the teams are not in place to do experiments. So the fly-by and the time around it will be used for a number of calibrations, which are important if not overlly exciting. Should be able to get some decent images as we sail away on the light side.

The ESA page on the Rosetta mission is at: http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/index.html.
Rosetta Science page: http://www.esa.int/esaSC/120389_index_0_m.html

Hope that helps.

-Don

Posted by: tedstryk Mar 24 2007, 01:16 PM

Any idea how close the lunar approach will be? I remember it being quite distant last time.


Ted

Posted by: Rakhir Mar 30 2007, 02:16 PM

Rosetta and New Horizons watch Jupiter in joint campaign

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMHFHT4LZE_index_0.html

Posted by: ugordan Mar 30 2007, 02:19 PM

More like "Rosetta and New Horizons watched Jupiter in joint campaign".

Posted by: centsworth_II Mar 30 2007, 02:41 PM

QUOTE (ugordan @ Mar 30 2007, 10:19 AM)

More like "Rosetta and New Horizons watched Jupiter in joint campaign".

Posted by: ugordan Mar 30 2007, 02:43 PM

Yeah, but I was adressing the fact the joint part of the observations is over. Probably has been for quite a while now.

Posted by: centsworth_II Mar 30 2007, 02:59 PM

The flyby portion of the joint study is over, but joint observations do continue.

From: http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00000875/

"Feb 28
03:00 Turn to Jupiter for New Horizons flyby support
[activity descriptions removed -- CW_II]
08:00 End New Horizons Jupiter flyby support

Mar 1
19:30 ALICE observations of Jupiter begin
Following its flyby, New Horizons will exit the Jupiter system by flying down Jupiter's magnetotail.
Rosetta will be able to study the Jupiter system using its ALICE instrument from outside the magnetic
field at the same time that New Horizons studies it with its own ALICE instrument form inside the
magnetic field. The observations will take place in a total of 22 blocks over the next two months,
each block lasting anywhere from an hour to nearly four days.

May 9
17:30 ALICE observations of Jupiter end"

Posted by: ugordan Mar 30 2007, 03:02 PM

QUOTE (centsworth_II @ Mar 30 2007, 03:59 PM)

Posted by: centsworth_II Mar 30 2007, 03:08 PM

QUOTE (ugordan @ Mar 30 2007, 11:02 AM)

Posted by: centsworth_II Mar 30 2007, 03:16 PM

From: http://www.physorg.com/news92058084.html

"We couldn't pass up this opportunity to study Jupiter's meteorology, rings, aurorae, satellites, and magnetosphere," says Alan Stern, Southwest Research Institute, Colorado, and New Horizon's Principal Investigator....

The idea for the joint observations came from Stern. As well as leading New Horizons, he is also the principal investigator for Rosetta's ALICE instrument.

ALICE is the ultraviolet imaging spectrometer. Designed to analyse gases being given off by Rosetta's target comet....

Rosetta will study Jupiter for between 6 and 8 days in total, spread over the next few weeks. Each time Rosetta opens its eyes to look at Jupiter, it will do so for several hours at a time, collecting as much light from the faraway planet as possible. "Rosetta will give us the big picture context in which to see the up-close data from New Horizons," says Stern. During this time, New Horizons will be riding the long tail of magnetism that stretches out behind Jupiter and funnels charged particles away.

Rosetta's ALICE was the prototype for the ultraviolet imaging instrument flying on New Horizons.....

Posted by: AlexBlackwell Jun 4 2007, 08:49 PM

Note the newly posted (with temporary free online access) special issue of http://www.springerlink.com/content/j3243rxx3v43/?p=7cbb4f4126ea499eacc95a22f2f27ea2&pi=0, which contains 33 articles.

Posted by: CAP-Team Jun 5 2007, 08:04 AM

QUOTE (tedstryk @ Mar 24 2007, 03:16 PM)

Posted by: tedstryk Jun 5 2007, 03:49 PM

It's a shame the perspective is so, well, earthlike.

Posted by: elakdawalla Apr 10 2008, 07:02 PM

The PDS announced a few days ago the first release of ALICE data from Rosetta.

Posted by: djellison Apr 10 2008, 07:14 PM

Waddayaknow - Alan and his team deliver the goodies nice and early. Meanwhile the European lot drag their feet.

Not sure how 'suitable for public consumption' Alice data is, but I'll certainly have a look at some point

Doug

Posted by: stevesliva Apr 10 2008, 09:42 PM

Is there some other data for us to look at?
No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time.

Posted by: jamescanvin Jun 21 2008, 09:39 AM

Split posts to http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=5256

Posted by: elakdawalla Aug 6 2008, 02:04 AM

I was hunting around today for basic information on the specs of the Rosetta navigation camera and came up pretty much empty except for the caption of the http://www.esa.int/esa-mmg/mmg.pl?b=b&topic=Comets%20and%20Asteroids&single=y&start=66, which state that an image of 820 by 820 pixels corresponds to a FOV of 4 degrees. Can anyone point me to a link with any more official information on detector size or FOV or angular resolution or any of that stuff?

--Emily

Posted by: cotopaxi Aug 6 2008, 08:15 AM

The field of view is about 5 degrees, pixel scale 0.005 degree/pixel (18 arcsec/pixel), no filters.
Sorry, I don't know of any website or publication I could point you to.

Posted by: peter59 Aug 6 2008, 08:44 AM

http://www.selex-sas.com/EN/Common/files/Galileo_Avionica/Relazioni_Esterne/Scheda_Prodotto_2/Space_2/NAVCAM.pdf

Posted by: djellison Aug 6 2008, 08:48 AM

All credit to the RPC-IES team for delivering to the PDS - what we really want is Osiris and CIVA though

Posted by: jasedm Aug 6 2008, 10:30 AM

QUOTE (djellison @ Aug 6 2008, 09:48 AM)

All credit to the RPC-IES team for delivering to the PDS - what we really want is Osiris and CIVA though

Posted by: elakdawalla Aug 6 2008, 02:52 PM

QUOTE (peter59 @ Aug 6 2008, 12:44 AM)

Posted by: tedstryk Dec 4 2008, 02:47 PM

It is worth noting that over the weekend Hubble studied Lutetia with WFPC/2 and SBC to characterize it in UV. It also did visible band imaging which included a detailed satellite search. I look forward to seeing the results of this - wow, a moonlet would be cool.

http://archive.stsci.edu/proposal_search.php?mission=hst&id=11957

http://www.stsci.edu/observing/phase2-public/11957.pro

Posted by: Paolo Mar 26 2009, 07:18 PM

Today on arXiv http://arxiv.org/abs/0903.4187 note that Spitzer has also made observations of EPOXI's target Hartley 2, but there is nothing published about it yet.
Also note that a paper titled New visible spectra and mineralogical assessment of 21 Lutetia, a target of Rosetta mission is forthcoming in http://www.aanda.org/index.php?option=com_forthcoming&Itemid=18&lang=en#section_9

Posted by: Paolo May 3 2009, 06:10 PM

QUOTE (Paolo @ Mar 26 2009, 09:18 PM)

Posted by: Bill Jul 19 2009, 08:30 AM

Some news about Steins on the french agency site :
http://www.cnes.fr/web/CNES-en/7806-gp-steins-unveils-its-secrets.php

Interesting information about the string of craters.

Posted by: Paolo Jul 19 2009, 10:37 AM

Speaking of which, any idea of when results of the Steins flyby are going to get published in the refereed literature?

Posted by: Hungry4info Jul 19 2009, 02:53 PM

I knew those craters had to be related, and not just a trick of shadows.

Posted by: Phil Stooke Jul 19 2009, 10:45 PM

I'm not convinced. Remember the great north-south chain of large craters down the central meridian of our moon? Invoked as evidence of internal processes, now ignored. But for the record, check out the other image in that story - it has a similar chain running left to right across it.

Phil

Posted by: Phil Stooke Jul 21 2009, 04:01 PM

Coming back to the line of craters again - I've already said that I think the craters appear to have different ages - some more subdued than others. Another reason I'm not convinced by this interpretation (drainage of regolith into a fracture, as suggested for Phobos) is that the scale is wrong. A little world, a little crater, I'd expect to see a little crack (if any) and really tiny pits. In fact I think such pits, if they did form on Steins, would be too small to be resolved in Rosetta images. This is like the Valles Marineris of Steins. I believe this is just a random set of craters that appear to be in line in this view, but if you look at the full image sequence you can make out other apparent lines as well, including one that re-uses some of these craters when relief distortions change the apparent alignment.

Phil

Posted by: dvandorn Jul 22 2009, 01:14 AM

Alignments are not just apparent. When you change the angle at which you view the body, you change the faces on that body that are in the way of a stream of impactors. If you rotate Steins to a variety of angles, you can line up any number of craters into potential chains.

I think one or two of those craters look suspiciously like sinkholes, and there could well be internal faulting that is causing some of the observed cratering. However, the small but significant size differences, the weathering and appearance differences, and especially the depth differences in the craters in this little chain tell me that at least some of them are impact craters made by somewhat different types of impacts (bigger and smaller impactors, differences in relative velocity, etc.).

When you look closely at the Real World, observed phenomenon are usually the results of blends of causes, not of nice, tidy, neat, this-explains-it-all processes. If two different processes are possible, rest assured that, to one degree or another, the results of both of those processes will be observed.

-the other Doug

Posted by: cndwrld Oct 19 2009, 12:03 PM

The Rosetta blog is back, baby. Gearing up for next month's Earth fly-by.

The Blog is at logically named:

http://webservices.esa.int/blog/blog/5

The updates will probably be slow for the next couple weeks. The most recent post:
On Friday, 13 November, 2009, at 07:46 UT, ESA's Rosetta satellite will make her third (and final) swing-by of Earth, picking up a gravity assist from our bulky home planet and altering trajectory as she enters the next stages of the 10-year journey to Comet 67 P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

The ESA Flight Dynamics team have predicted Rosetta's altitude at the point of closest approach (perigee height) on 13 November to be 2481 km, slightly higher than her first swing-by in March 2005 (1954 km) and lower than her second swing-by on 13 November 2007 (5295 km). We'll update this figure as we get closer to the swing-by date itself...

The geographical point of closest approach (the point on the Earth's surface over which she'll make closest approach) is 109°E and 8°S - just off the coast of the Indonesian island of Java.

Posted by: dmuller Oct 20 2009, 12:39 AM

Thanks for the reminder ... need to update the trajectory in my simulations a little!

EDIT: done

Posted by: Paolo Nov 10 2009, 11:12 AM

8 November Moon image is up

Posted by: Paolo Nov 11 2009, 05:09 PM

Some interesting observations are planned for the flyby
http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=45865
Note in particular the 24-hour "movie" of the approaching Earth (please ESA don't mess up and release it!) and the attempt to detect water on the surface of the Moon.

Posted by: ugordan Nov 11 2009, 05:14 PM

QUOTE (Paolo @ Nov 11 2009, 06:09 PM)

Posted by: elakdawalla Nov 11 2009, 06:01 PM

Let's just hope they flip it the http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00001247/ before releasing it this time

Posted by: ugordan Nov 11 2009, 06:11 PM

I'll settle with them releasing it. One can always flip it afterwards.

Posted by: djellison Nov 11 2009, 07:45 PM

Osiris is a STUNNING instrument - 2kx2k CCD - can't wait to see what they come up with.

I just wish they'd release the data from previous flybys etc.

Posted by: Paolo Nov 12 2009, 12:46 AM

QUOTE (djellison @ Nov 11 2009, 08:45 PM)

Posted by: Stu Nov 12 2009, 05:40 PM

Absolutely beautiful view of Earth... http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMXJY3VU1G_index_0.html

Posted by: nprev Nov 12 2009, 06:32 PM

Whoa! That's a stunner of a pic, all right. We do have a nice little piece of real estate with curb appeal, don't we?

Posted by: sgendreau Nov 12 2009, 06:59 PM

QUOTE (Stu @ Nov 12 2009, 09:40 AM)

Absolutely beautiful view of Earth... http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMXJY3VU1G_index_0.html

Posted by: djellison Nov 12 2009, 07:26 PM

It's not stretched - buy your computer might be stretching it to fit your desktop.

Posted by: sgendreau Nov 12 2009, 07:39 PM

QUOTE (djellison @ Nov 12 2009, 11:26 AM)

Posted by: imipak Nov 12 2009, 07:58 PM

You know, it's very easy to make jokes about ESA's data release, outreach and P.R. abilities; period.

Posted by: Stefan Nov 13 2009, 09:17 AM

QUOTE (Paolo @ Nov 12 2009, 01:46 AM)

Posted by: NickF Nov 13 2009, 09:49 AM

QUOTE (Stu @ Nov 12 2009, 05:40 PM)

Absolutely beautiful view of Earth... http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMXJY3VU1G_index_0.html

Posted by: cndwrld Nov 13 2009, 02:47 PM

A couple of the images downloaded today (Friday).

http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEM8KIHVY1G_index_0.html

Posted by: ugordan Nov 13 2009, 03:49 PM

Gamma correction is your friend!

Posted by: ugordan Nov 13 2009, 06:27 PM

A couple of outbound navcam images http://webservices.esa.int/blog/post/5/904 on the blog.

Flicker gif:
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n15/ugordan/earth_navcam.gif

Posted by: NGC3314 Nov 13 2009, 07:27 PM

Fair is fair, someone at ESA is doing a nice job getting these looking good and released in a timely way.

I can see my town on that nightside view... should have opened up a telescope and returned the favor, had I not gotten up at 0330 and driven to Atlanta and back. Maybe I can catch an image tonight if the sun angle isn't too bad.

Posted by: nprev Nov 13 2009, 08:44 PM

Really nice images, and I agree with NGC: Kudos to ESA for the timely release.

Can hardly wait to see the pics from 67P/Gerasimov; the terrific quality of these images is making me drool in anticipation!

Posted by: Juramike Nov 13 2009, 08:46 PM

Yeah. .. I'm buried under that big swirl of clouds that was Ex-Tropical Storm Ida.

(4.5 inches of rain in 4 days of yuck.)

Good-bye Rosetta and Good Luck!
(Good riddance Ida and don't come back!)

Posted by: Gsnorgathon Nov 14 2009, 12:51 AM

And dig http://webservices.esa.int/blog/post/5/904: "In the camera field of view, Lutetia shoudl [sic] appear about as large as the Earth looks in these images." And we only have to wait until July!

Posted by: Paolo Nov 14 2009, 09:59 AM

QUOTE (Paolo @ Nov 11 2009, 06:09 PM)

Posted by: Paolo Jan 19 2010, 06:07 AM

on arXiv today
http://arxiv.org/abs/1001.3010

Posted by: Paolo May 8 2010, 08:56 AM

http://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/abs/2010/06/aa12928-09/aa12928-09.html about ESA's Standard Radiation Environment Monitor instruments, one of which is flying on Rosetta

Posted by: elakdawalla Aug 9 2010, 10:33 PM

Saw this interesting item in the Planetary Exploration Newsletter, but before you get excited, there is no OSIRIS data at all released yet (nor VIRTIS, either).

Posted by: djellison Aug 10 2010, 01:30 AM

I asked via Twitter and it was a 'We'll ask' . Sadly nothing from the lander instruments either.

Posted by: Paolo Oct 3 2010, 06:50 PM

Rosetta developed a leak in the attitude control system fuel lines
http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=47733
but controllers are confident that it should not impact the mission at C-G...

Posted by: nprev Oct 3 2010, 07:07 PM

Unwelcome news. Last thing we want to see is a repeat (in some respects) of the Hayabusa drama.

Posted by: Explorer1 Oct 3 2010, 09:44 PM

Posted by: elakdawalla Oct 7 2010, 04:48 PM

Saw some Lutetia spectra this morning -- it is only slightly red. I read numbers off the I/F graphs like 0.09 in blue and 0.95 to 0.1 in red wavelengths. Steins was shown in a color combo to be much redder but I didn't see any Steins spectra; there must be some in literature by now.

Posted by: Paolo Oct 13 2010, 08:03 PM

Last March Rosetta was used to observe the asteroid collision in the asteroid belt that formed "comet" P/2010 A2
observations by Rosetta are reported http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v467/n7317/full/nature09453.html (you need a subscription to access the paper) and are summarized http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/newsblog/104877759.html

images are available on Nature website: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v467/n7317/fig_tab/nature09453_F1.html
and on ESA's website: http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=47829

Posted by: Paolo Oct 15 2010, 05:16 AM

The Nature paper on Rosetta observations of "comet" 2010 A2 plus its supporting materials and images are now available free on arXiv
http://arxiv.org/abs/1010.2883

Posted by: centsworth_II May 31 2011, 07:15 PM

http://www.astrium.eads.net/en/news2/good-night-rosetta-the-comet-chaser-sleep-tight.html
Astrium systems engineer Alois Eibner will send the last radio command (for the time being) to the space probe on Wednesday 8 June 2011.

...During the 32 months of deep sleep, the probe, weighing approximately three tons, will be largely on its own. Radio contact will no longer be possible, as there is not enough solar energy for all on-board systems during this phase. Never before has a solar-powered space vehicle ventured into these depth of space, further away from the Sun than the planet Jupiter. Rosetta has to take that risk in order to reach the comet.

To make sure the probe is ‘wide awake’ when it reaches its destination, the engineers will set the ‘onboard’ alarm. A clock with triple redundancy ...

Hah! I bet some on this forum are familiar with the old "triple redundancy" alarm trick!

Posted by: Explorer1 Jun 1 2011, 06:25 AM

I've been wondering for quite a while, how far will Rosetta be from the sun at aphelion? The animation on their http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/SEMRZF1PGQD_0.html says the orbit of Jupiter (!) around 2012 but isn't really a precise number. Will it actually cross the orbit? That would be a first for solar powered spacecraft, correct?

Posted by: centsworth_II Jun 1 2011, 12:47 PM

"http://www.astrium.eads.net/en/did-you-know/rosetta-the-miles-more-chaser.html of approximately 800 million kilometres from the Sun and about 950 million kilometres from the Earth.
It will be the first time a solar-powered probe has ever travelled such distances."


http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Jupiter&Display=Facts&System=Metric
Perihelion (closest)
Metric: 740,679,835 km
English: 460,237,112 miles

Aphelion (farthest)
Metric: 816,001,807 km
English: 507,040,015 miles

Posted by: Paolo Jun 1 2011, 02:41 PM

I have seen an aphelion of 5.09 AU mentioned somewhere

Posted by: MahFL Jun 2 2011, 03:16 PM

What would darn scary if it woke up and it was revieled two clocks had failed......
32 months asleep sounds pretty scary.

Posted by: Paolo Jun 8 2011, 08:41 PM

As Rosetta is http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM38RJ4LOG_index_0.html, http://www.mps.mpg.de/en/aktuelles/pressenotizen/pressenotiz_20110608.html

Posted by: machi Jun 8 2011, 09:58 PM

Good night Rosetta.

Posted by: Astro0 Jun 8 2011, 10:37 PM

ESA Release: "We sent the command via NASA's 70 m Deep Space Network station in Canberra, Australia, ensuring the signal was transmitted with enough power to reach Rosetta, which is now 549 million km from Earth"

It has been a hive of activity here for the past week. ESA wanted to have some people on the ground here in Canberra to ensure that everything went well. We did our usual magnificent job of course and, as confirmed by their media release, the ESA team were very happy with how it all turned out.

Sleep well Rosetta, the alarm is set for 2014

Posted by: Paolo Jun 21 2011, 05:14 AM

I had yet to see any scientific result of the 2007 Mars flyby, so this paper is quite welcome: http://arxiv.org/abs/1106.3926

Posted by: cotopaxi Jun 29 2011, 02:23 PM

QUOTE (Paolo @ Jun 21 2011, 06:14 AM)

Posted by: cotopaxi Feb 22 2012, 09:25 PM

Most of the Rosetta cruise phase data up to the Steins flyby are now archived, see
http://www.rssd.esa.int/index.php?project=PSA&page=rosetta

Posted by: ugordan Feb 22 2012, 09:51 PM

Looks like the content mirrors that of the PDS Small Bodies Node archive. Too bad the VIRTIS dataset wasn't released. Earth (Mars as well?) high spectral resolution visual spectra = yummy.

Posted by: cotopaxi Feb 23 2012, 09:35 PM

QUOTE (ugordan @ Feb 22 2012, 10:51 PM)

Posted by: Paolo Nov 18 2012, 04:50 PM

an interesting paper recently published in Astronomy & Astrophysics:
http://www.aanda.org/index.php?option=com_article&access=standard&Itemid=129&url=/articles/aa/abs/2012/12/aa20116-12/aa20116-12.html (in free access after registration)
if the authors are right, the nucleus of C-G should look more like a flattened spheroid than like a starfish as assumed until now. they predict that it may resemble a rounded body like Tempel 1.

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 18 2012, 05:11 PM

From my point of view this is a much more realistic shape model. The oddly symmetrical star-shape of the previous model screamed 'artifact' at me.

Phil

Posted by: Gerald May 27 2013, 02:01 PM

Cited from http://www.esa.int/For_Media/Press_Releases/ESA_activities_in_2013_of_interest_to_media_-_Update_25_April_2013:

Posted by: Explorer1 Nov 24 2013, 05:29 AM

Just found this: cute LEGO model and some information I didn't know (descent camera MSL style, and interesting ways of coping with the cold cometary night!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwkliXod6Ns

Posted by: Gerald Nov 24 2013, 01:41 PM

Some more infos/pictures of recent activities in this http://blogs.esa.int/rosetta/.

Edit: Official press release of 11 October 2013: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/Rosetta_100_days_to_wake-up.

Posted by: Explorer1 Nov 30 2013, 12:03 AM

I know it's a little early, but does anyone have any clue towards what EOM at the end of 2015 really means for Rosetta? The official pages say little about it, and I know the main factor against an extended mission is probably the greater distance from the Sun causing power loss, but will it just be left in parking orbit? Might as well try a daring NEAR-style end if the ship and its instruments are still functioning well...

Posted by: Gerald Nov 30 2013, 02:57 AM

All I remember from semi-public sources is, that they actually don't know yet how long the mission can be sustained, because several properties of the comet are unknown. The uncertainty begins with the strength and structure of the assumed crust of the comet, relevant for the way the lander can hopefully be fixed to the surface, and ends with the way the surface of the comet may desintegrate.
The orbiter will first try to reduce some of the uncertainties by propper mapping.
Power isn't expected to be available for continuous operation, but for phases of operation and phases of battery recharge.

Posted by: Explorer1 Dec 4 2013, 05:55 PM

Details about press conference on the 10th being streamed online:

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/Background_briefing_Rosetta_wake_up_and_year_ahead

Posted by: Ron Hobbs Dec 13 2013, 05:43 PM

It is about time to revive this thread. This contest looks like fun; I bet there are some mages here who would like to participate.

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/Wake_up_Rosetta

http://download.esa.int/esoc/wur/esa_wakeuprosetta_rules.pdf

Go Rosetta!

Posted by: bobik Jan 17 2014, 12:57 PM

http://download.esa.int/esoc/shares/rosetta_wake-up_faq_20_jan_2014.pdf

Posted by: general Jan 19 2014, 09:07 PM

http://www.livestream.com/eurospaceagency

Posted by: kenny Jan 19 2014, 09:46 PM

The general press are talking about a wake-up time of about 10:00 UTC Monday.
However this is a little misleading, as the first confirmation signal will not arrive at Earth until between 17:30 and 18:30 UTC.

Posted by: Explorer1 Jan 19 2014, 10:34 PM

So it's going to be a few hours between the countdown clock on the main page ticking to zero and getting the signal back. Might not have to stay up overnight.


Also, welcome back general, it's been a long time since you posted on here!

Posted by: general Jan 20 2014, 07:23 AM

QUOTE (Explorer1 @ Jan 19 2014, 11:34 PM)

Posted by: Explorer1 Jan 20 2014, 08:35 AM

This streaming link seems more reliable than the ESA website:

http://www.livestream.com/eurospaceagency

First glimpse of C-G might come in March, from 100,000 KM away:

http://www.astrium.eads.net/en/news2/time-to-wake-up-rosetta.html

Should be fully awake (along with me!).

Signal traveling now hopefully... Just a few more minutes. Saw a screen where it will show up. Just noise for now.

Posted by: general Jan 20 2014, 06:06 PM

Nothing yet...

Posted by: xflare Jan 20 2014, 06:15 PM

I can't help but feel nervous

Posted by: Bjorn Jonsson Jan 20 2014, 06:18 PM

There is a spike now, possbly the signal!

Posted by: Gsnorgathon Jan 20 2014, 06:18 PM

Is that peaky-looking thing on the display a signal?

Yes it is!

Posted by: Bjorn Jonsson Jan 20 2014, 06:18 PM

And applause now, yes, it's the signal!!

Posted by: Paolo Jan 20 2014, 06:19 PM

I knew I had to take a break and start to prepare dinner to have the signal!!!

Posted by: Explorer1 Jan 20 2014, 06:20 PM

Contact, wahoo!

Posted by: xflare Jan 20 2014, 06:24 PM

QUOTE (Paolo @ Jan 20 2014, 07:19 PM)

Posted by: Bjorn Jonsson Jan 20 2014, 06:24 PM

I notice I made a spelling error above ("possbly"). I'm not going to correct it; it reflects that I was excited to see the signal when I was typing!

Posted by: general Jan 20 2014, 06:47 PM

Yay! Signal received!

http://www.esa.int/For_Media/Press_Releases/Rosetta_ESA_s_sleeping_beauty_wakes_up_from_deep_space_hibernation

Posted by: nprev Jan 20 2014, 06:50 PM

Just the very, very best news that could be possible today. This is gonna be one hell of a mission. GO ROSETTA!!!!!

Posted by: elakdawalla Jan 20 2014, 06:55 PM

Thank goodness!

Lots of useful info in the http://www.esa.int/For_Media/Press_Releases/Rosetta_ESA_s_sleeping_beauty_wakes_up_from_deep_space_hibernation so I'll quote some of it here. I thought about starting a new thread, but I think that the time to start a new thread will be with the first images in May.

Posted by: xflare Jan 20 2014, 07:04 PM

45 minutes of terror

Posted by: elakdawalla Jan 20 2014, 08:40 PM

https://twitter.com/esaoperations/status/425362252196089856 -- it's not just awake, it's talking!

Posted by: JohnVV Jan 20 2014, 09:54 PM

long thread but ...
going back a few years and posts
#132 and #188
and some others

there is a shape file for Comet 67P Churyumov-Gerasimenko
ftp://naif.jpl.nasa.gov/pub/naif/generic_kernels/dsk/churyumov-gerasimenko/

and there is a ? almost? wavefront .obj file
ftp://naif.jpl.nasa.gov/pub/naif/generic_kernels/dsk/churyumov-gerasimenko/input_files/
it is in that text file

-- a 90x45 px image in radians (Km) 90 north to 90 south X 0 to 360
puled from the "churyumov-gerasimenko_512.bds" file
http://www.imagebam.com/image/c86760302732191

and the .obj file ( rotated to match the above plate file ) and the "DEM" draped over it
http://www.imagebam.com/image/b073c5302733121 http://www.imagebam.com/image/a4a65f302740136

Posted by: nprev Jan 20 2014, 10:31 PM

Really happy here.

If all goes as planned, Rosetta promises to be one of the most spectacular missions ever. Getting excited.

Posted by: MahFL Jan 20 2014, 11:55 PM

QUOTE (elakdawalla @ Jan 20 2014, 09:40 PM)

Posted by: 4th rock from the sun Jan 21 2014, 01:37 AM

QUOTE (JohnVV @ Jan 20 2014, 09:54 PM)

Posted by: JohnVV Jan 21 2014, 02:02 AM

Posted by: Explorer1 Jan 21 2014, 08:00 AM

The end of this Guardian article has some intriguing speculation; nuclei are active, so Philae won't stay where it lands forever. Unlike NEAR, stuck on Eros until the end of time (or a violent homecoming in a few megayears), Philae may very well end up going on a second unplanned voyage in just a few of C-G's orbits....
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/jan/20/rosetta-comet-chasing-spacecraft-wakes-up

Posted by: Paolo Jan 21 2014, 08:09 AM

note that there has been another reconstruction of the shape of the nucleus which looks quite different from the pointy shape posted above. see this old post http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=873&view=findpost&p=194503

Posted by: cndwrld Jan 21 2014, 08:27 AM

A few links you might find useful:


Rosetta dedicated website:
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta

Rosetta in depth: http://sci.esa.int/Rosetta/

Rosetta overview:
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta_overview

Rosetta orbiter:
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/The_Rosetta_orbiter

Rosetta Lander:
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/The_Rosetta_lander

Rosetta instruments (a total of 21);
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/Orbiter_Instruments

Rosetta Factsheet:
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/Rosetta_factsheet

Rosetta FAQ:
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/Frequently_asked_questions

Rosetta on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESA_Rosetta

Rosetta on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RosettaMission

Rosetta dedicated Blog: http://blogs.esa.int/rosetta/

Rosetta on You Tube:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbyvawxScNbtAhH8vHAYl-pyEirPi-4Ad

Rosetta for kids:
http://www.esa.int/esaKIDSen/SEMGZ6Z2OMH_OurUniverse_0.html

Rosetta on Flick:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/europeanspaceagency/sets/72157638315605535/

Rosetta fly-bys images:
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Highlights/Rosetta_flybys

Rosetta 3D Flash model
http://orbits.esa.int/orbits/science/satellite/flash/rosetta.swf

Rosetta
images :http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Missions/Rosetta/(class)/image

Rosetta videos and animations:
http://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Missions/Rosetta

Posted by: xflare Jan 21 2014, 08:43 AM

This New Scientist article on Rosetta seems to imply that there may have been a problem as the "signal arrived late"

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn24908-up-and-at-em-rosetta-craft-gaining-on-target-comet.html

"One thing they will be keen to understand first is what happened to cause the half-hour delay. Rosetta's overnight reports may provide the answer."

BUT, the signal arrived within the hour long window as predicted so maybe its just being somewhat "sensational"

Posted by: 4th rock from the sun Jan 21 2014, 10:39 AM

QUOTE (JohnVV @ Jan 21 2014, 02:02 AM)

Posted by: Holder of the Two Leashes Jan 21 2014, 03:34 PM

QUOTE (xflare @ Jan 20 2014, 01:04 PM)

Posted by: Rakhir Jan 21 2014, 04:02 PM

Concerning the slight delay in signal acquisition:

Posted by: Paolo Jan 21 2014, 05:50 PM

according to http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn24910-snoozebutton-glitch-delayed-rosettas-wakeup.html there was another computer reboot in September 2012, during hibernation

Posted by: Explorer1 Feb 6 2014, 05:04 PM

A funny and informative Rosetta-themed xkcd what-if:

http://what-if.xkcd.com/82/

Posted by: elakdawalla Apr 21 2014, 06:32 PM

Did a little forum maintenance today, starting http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showforum=76 and http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=7835.