GOCE |
GOCE |
Mar 16 2009, 10:44 AM
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#1
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3516 Joined: 4-November 05 From: North Wales Member No.: 542 |
Set for launch today:
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/GOCE/index.html Some interesting new technology here - half satellite half airplane! Well maybe mainly satellite, but an interesting concept that could have applications in other atmospheres, making lower orbiting feasible. |
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Apr 7 2009, 08:01 PM
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#2
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1281 Joined: 18-December 04 From: San Diego, CA Member No.: 124 |
-------------------- Lyford Rome
"Zis is not nuts, zis is super-nuts!" Mathematician Richard Courant on viewing an Orion test |
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Apr 7 2009, 08:49 PM
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#3
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1582 Joined: 14-October 05 From: Vermont Member No.: 530 |
Fire in the hole!GOCE's electric ion propulsion engine switched on QUOTE The success of GOCE's ultra-sensitive gravity measurements depends on finely controlling the satellite's orbit and speed. The push from the thruster must be just enough to compensate for the tiny amount of drag generated by the few wisps of atmosphere at GOCE's orbital height. No normal jet engine could do this, but GOCE's sophisticated electric ion propulsion system can. In fact, the ESA engineer that suggested putting a jet engine on a satellite ended up working at an investment bank instead. |
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