Fwd: Riding on a comet

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From: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Date: October 13, 2014 1:27:02 PM CDT
To: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Subject: FW: Riding on a comet

 

 

   

 

 

Riding on a comet

12/10/2014 12:32

A month left before the event, which is looking forward to scientists around the world. European vehicle "Rosetta" comet caught Churyumov- Gerasimenko and preparing to land on her lander. Its mission - to fly together with the comet to the Sun.

Coming this November, scientists around the world are waiting for. For the first time in human history module earthlings have to sit down on the comet's surface. Comet discovered by Soviet astronomers Klim Churyumov and Olga Gerasimenko in 1969, is of great interest.

"Other comets, unlike it is from this object has often approached with the Sun at close range, the ones that we could explore. And therefore does not carry any secret knowledge that has been for us, are not yet available," - explains Stanislav Short, supervisor Observatory KA-DAR.

The mission called "Rosetta" was launched 10 years ago, when the European rocket "Ariane" sent 3-ton research probe toward the comet. The flight program was very difficult.

"First there was a maneuver around the Earth, then he was sent to Mars, then the machine was taken back to Earth. Then two more maneuver. As a result, it broke up so that he was able to reach the comet's orbit," - said Leonid Ksanfomaliti, Chief Scientific Officer Space Research Institute.

The force of attraction on the surface of the kernel is not enough to securely hold to imagine any machine. Therefore, it is necessary to cling to the surface of the nucleus with the help of special harpoon anchors.

"The diameter of the core is only 3 to 5 km, it is a potato. Moreover, as we have seen, it is in fact, the two nuclei that are interconnected very small gap, isthmus, most likely from legkoplavnogo material. Spacecraft, weighing only 100 pounds and the size of one meter on - such as a small "holodilnichek" - will be able to give us a lot of new knowledge, "- said Stanislav Short, supervisor Observatory KA-DAR.

Beautiful tail - the original card comets - formed due to the fact that the sun heats the bowels, of which pulled the gas and dust. They will be the primary object of study.

"From inside the comet taken refractory material, which then exists in the form of meteoric matter, it is unclear, In the interstellar medium of meteoritic material can not be. There may be only a speck of submicron size. If in the interstellar medium, and there is a refractory material, we have to review all our understanding of how they are formed, "- said Alexander Bagrov, a leading researcher at the Institute of Astronomy.

In the entire history of space research vehicles earthlings have repeatedly approached the comet.The first experience was laid triumphant Soviet station "Vega-1" and "Vega-2", which after the mission to study Venus went to a meeting with the famous Halley's comet.

"It got a lot of data that has not yet lost its scientific significance," said Leonid Ksanfomaliti, chief researcher at the Institute of Space Research.

In March 1986, sets "Vega" passed from the nucleus of the comet at a distance of several thousand kilometers and made more than a hundred unique images. New data on the motion path of Halley's comet, obtained by Soviet scientists helped European and Japanese colleagues to adjust their exchange probes and send them even closer to the core of the famous "Space page." But not without loss.European vehicle "Giotto" was bombed by cometary particles.

"Giotto" came under fire, out of order. A few days later he managed to fix - it is the European Space Agency, there are very good engineers, they figured out what was wrong. Our machines come out of this area without too much loss, "- said Leonid Ksanfomaliti, chief researcher at the Institute of Space Research.

How to continue to avoid the cometary bombardment now thinking scientists from NASA and the European Space Agency. The fact is that in the next week to Mars will approach the comet "2013 A1 Siding - Spring" tail particles which may interfere with the work of American and European research probes orbiting the Red Planet.

"The comet is flying at a speed of about 60 kilometers per second. If particles hit into the machine, then at such speeds arise plasma effects," - says Maxim Litvak, a researcher at the Institute of Space Research.

Blow small particles at a speed allocates huge amounts of energy, it can disturb the on-board electronics devices and terminate their relationship with the Earth. However, the ability to be in the tail of the comet has a chance to get unique information.

"There is quite an interesting challenge, including researchers, research in the field of astrobiology - this is the question about the possibility of life through the introduction of comets on the surface of our planet," - said Stanislav Short, supervisor Observatory KA-DAR.

Mission "Rosetta" is at a critical stage. Perhaps, soon, a new page in the history of the solar system and the origin of life on Earth. Scientists in anticipation of the great discoveries. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaXH2zbTeSg&list=UUOcpUgXosMCIlOsreUfNFiA

 

Roskosmos TV studio

 

 

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