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
|
|
Report outlines cost growth in canceled NASA exploration programs
Posted: Sat, Jun 27 11:14 AM ET (1514 GMT) Perseverance Mars rover finds more potential biosignatures
Posted: Sat, Jun 27 11:12 AM ET (1512 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, June 27
Cosmic Storms Shaped the First Stars in the Universe
Academia Sinica — 8:32 pm ET (0032 GMT) PLD Space strengthens its Board of Directors with the appointment of Hilario Albarracín
PLD Space — 8:31 pm ET (0031 GMT) Neo Space Group Announces Dr. Abdullah Aljohani as Chief Technology and Operations Officer
Neo Space Group — 8:31 pm ET (0031 GMT) RAS Fellow awarded 2026 Carl Sagan Medal
Royal Astronomical Society — 8:29 pm ET (0029 GMT) Bow-and-arrow-shaped radio galaxy discovered by citizen scientist
Royal Astronomical Society — 8:29 pm ET (0029 GMT) |
