Stardust's (mostly) clear Moon image
Posted: Fri, Jan 19, 2001, 12:41 AM ET (0541 GMT)
NASA released Thursday an image of the Moon taken by the Stardust spacecraft during its Earth flyby earlier this week. The image was trumpeted as a success of efforts to remove contamination from the spacecraft's camera; however, the image did show some "halo" effects caused by residual contaminants on the camera's optics. Project officials believe the camera will still be able to fill its primary role as a navigation instrument as well as meet its science goals when the spacecraft flies by comet Wild-2 in January 2004. "We will see the size and shape of the comet and be able to detect small craters, variations in the brightness, dirty dusty areas, and newly iced surfaces," project manager Tom Duxbury said.
NASA released Thursday an image of the Moon taken by the Stardust spacecraft during its Earth flyby earlier this week. The image was trumpeted as a success of efforts to remove contamination from the spacecraft's camera; however, the image did show some "halo" effects caused by residual contaminants on the camera's optics. Project officials believe the camera will still be able to fill its primary role as a navigation instrument as well as meet its science goals when the spacecraft flies by comet Wild-2 in January 2004. "We will see the size and shape of the comet and be able to detect small craters, variations in the brightness, dirty dusty areas, and newly iced surfaces," project manager Tom Duxbury said.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
NASA IG cites overconfidence and unrealistic schedules for Starliner woes
Posted: Sat, Jul 4 8:11 PM ET (0011 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Sunday, July 5
“We’re supplying satellite substrates to SpaceX”... A Korean company has finally found a new growth engine
Maeil Business Newspaper — 9:21 am ET (1321 GMT) Scientist who cleaned space toilet on work experience now leading Mars exploration teams
BBC — 9:18 am ET (1318 GMT) Hayabusa2 flies past asteroid as Japan aims to acquire data for planetary defense
Japan Times — 9:16 am ET (1316 GMT) Japan’s Hayabusa2 Probe Flies by Torifune Asteroid, in Step Forward for Planetary Defense Technology
Yomiuri Shimbun — 9:15 am ET (1315 GMT) Japan's Hayabusa2 Successfully Observes Asteroid Torifune
Jiji Press — 9:14 am ET (1314 GMT) |
