Artemis 1 Cubesats, Ride-Along Robots |
Artemis 1 Cubesats, Ride-Along Robots |
Aug 27 2022, 08:24 PM
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Solar System Cartographer Group: Members Posts: 10193 Joined: 5-April 05 From: Canada Member No.: 227 |
A new thread for a miniature (cubesat) moon lander. OMOTENASHI (a convoluted acronym which is also a Japanese word for 'selfless hospitality) is one of ten cubesats to be launched with Artemis 1, possibly as early as Monday, 29 August 2022 (two days away as i write rhis).
The lander has received little attention because it is really just a technology demonstrator of a method for getting very small objects safely to he lunar surface. Basically, let it come zooming in at 2 km/sec, slam the brakes on with a retro firing just above the surface and then let it fall to a hard but survivable landing. It's not totally dissimilar to the Soviet Union's Luna 9. Luna 13 landing method. Originally it included an airbag but that will not be used now. This landing demo does no science on the surface, though part of it will will collect some radiation data during approach. The only sign of a successful landing will be radio transmissions for a brief period. LRO may see evidence of the impact of the cruise module (which is not braked), though it will be small. The landing target is on the nearside limb south of Orientale at roughly 45 south, 75 west (285 east). Phil -------------------- ... because the Solar System ain't gonna map itself.
Also to be found posting similar content on https://mastodon.social/@PhilStooke Maps for download (free PD: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm...Cartography.pdf NOTE: everything created by me which I post on UMSF is considered to be in the public domain (NOT CC, public domain) |
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Mar 24 2023, 03:16 AM
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Solar System Cartographer Group: Members Posts: 10193 Joined: 5-April 05 From: Canada Member No.: 227 |
By assembling bits and pieces from a few websites including Project Pluto and the Minor Planet Center, plus Scott Tilley on Twitter, I have made this brief summary of recent activities by EQUULEUS:
"On 16 March 2023 astronomers detected an apparent asteroid, A10TGEB, which was soon found to be EQUULEUS. It had made a lunar flyby at an altitude of c. 50000 km on 10 March, before that 'discovery'. It will pass by Earth at c. 35000 km altitude on 6 April 2023 and on 27 May it will pass by the Moon at 30400 +/- 8800 km, changing its orbit from 62580 by 620910 km to 162000 by 990000 km." Basically, EQUULEUS is in a large orbit of Earth which is perturbed by lunar flybys and is being shaped gradually until the spacecraft can slip into an orbit about the Earth-Moon L2 point. From L2 it will study Earth's plasma and look for meteorite impacts on the Moon's unilluminated portion. As far as I can tell it is still healthy. If anyone has additional details of the trajectory or hears of any other activity, please post it or let me know. Phil -------------------- ... because the Solar System ain't gonna map itself.
Also to be found posting similar content on https://mastodon.social/@PhilStooke Maps for download (free PD: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm...Cartography.pdf NOTE: everything created by me which I post on UMSF is considered to be in the public domain (NOT CC, public domain) |
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