|
AC72-2138
Photographer: KSC Pioneer-10
2/26/72
Description |
Photographer: KSC Pioneer-10 (or F) spacecraft encapsulated and moving to pad at Cape Kennedy for matting with a Atlas-Centaura launch vehicle in preparation for mission to Jupiter |
Date |
2/26/72 |
|
AC72-2139
Photographer: KSC A pre laun
2/26/72
Description |
Photographer: KSC A pre launch view of Pioneer-10 (or F) spacecraft encapsulated and mated with a Atlas-Centaura launch vehicle in preparation for mission to Jupiter |
Date |
2/26/72 |
|
AC72-2140
Photographer: KSC A pre laun
2/26/72
Description |
Photographer: KSC A pre launch view of Pioneer-10 (or F) spacecraft encapsulated and mated with a Atlas-Centaura launch vehicle in preparation for mission to Jupiter |
Date |
2/26/72 |
|
AC73-4247-1
Artist: Rick Guidice Pioneer
8/28/73
Description |
Artist: Rick Guidice Pioneer (10) passing Jupiter (cropped) Mission art |
Date |
8/28/73 |
|
AC73-4247-2
Artist: Rick Guidice Pioneer
8/28/73
Description |
Artist: Rick Guidice Pioneer (10) passing Jupiter |
Date |
8/28/73 |
|
AC73-4247-3
Artist: Rick Guidice Pioneer
8/28/73
Description |
Artist: Rick Guidice Pioneer (10) passing Jupiter (cropped) |
Date |
8/28/73 |
|
AC73-4247-4
Artist: Rick Guidice Pioneer
8/28/73
Description |
Artist: Rick Guidice Pioneer (10) passing Jupiter (cropped) |
Date |
8/28/73 |
|
AC73-4247-5
Artist: Rick Guidice Pioneer
8/28/73
Description |
Artist: Rick Guidice Pioneer (10) passing Jupiter |
Date |
8/28/73 |
|
AC73-4247-6
Artist: Rick Guidice Pioneer
8/28/73
Description |
Artist: Rick Guidice Pioneer (10) passing Jupiter |
Date |
8/28/73 |
|
AC73-4247
Artist: Rick Guidice Pioneer
8/28/73
Description |
Artist: Rick Guidice Pioneer (10) passing Jupiter |
Date |
8/28/73 |
|
AC73-9345
Artist: Rick Guidice Pioneer
11/16/73
Description |
Artist: Rick Guidice Pioneer Jupiter encounters Artwork: The gravity of Jupiter (or of Saturn), coupled with its orbital motion, can be used in a slingshot technique to speed spacecraft to the outer planets. (S.P. fig. no. 1-21). |
Date |
11/16/73 |
|
AC77-0475-11
Art By Don Davis Pioneer Ven
4/1/77
Description |
Art By Don Davis Pioneer Venus orbiter in orbit around Venus |
Date |
4/1/77 |
|
AC78-9135
(added Oct. 8, 1981) Photogr
7/25/80
Description |
(added Oct. 8, 1981) Photographer: Pioneer Complete Venus Map |
Date |
7/25/80 |
|
AC79-9114-33
Pioneer Saturn: Charlie Hall
8/2/79
Description |
Pioneer Saturn: Charlie Hall, project manager daily stand up meeting with Dr. Simpson at board |
Date |
8/2/79 |
|
AC79-9114-39
Pioneer Saturn: Charlie Hall
8/2/79
Description |
Pioneer Saturn: Charlie Hall, project manager daily stand up meeting |
Date |
8/2/79 |
|
AC79-9114-45
Pioneer Saturn: Charlie Hall
8/2/79
Description |
Pioneer Saturn: Charlie Hall, project manager daily stand up meeting |
Date |
8/2/79 |
|
AC79-9114-46
Pioneer Saturn: Charlie Hall
8/2/79
Description |
Pioneer Saturn: Charlie Hall, project manager daily stand up meeting shown are John Wolfe, Charlie Hall, Sy Syvertson and Richard Fimmel in bkgrd |
Date |
8/2/79 |
|
AC79-9114-70
Jules Bergman, ABC Science N
8/2/79
Description |
Jules Bergman, ABC Science Newscaster stands by a NASA Ames press room for the continuing information being returned by the Pioneer spacecraft during it's encounter with the planet Saturn and it's rings. |
Date |
8/2/79 |
|
AC81-0174-1
Artist: Ken Hodges Pioneer G
3/20/81
Description |
Artist: Ken Hodges Pioneer Galileo Probe descending into Jupiter's Atmosphere with parachute deployed, heat shield separation, while orbiter collects data from above (from JPL files - no reference nunber available) |
Date |
3/20/81 |
|
ACD07-0049-045
Silicon Valley FIRST Regiona
3/16/07
Description |
Silicon Valley FIRST Regional Robotics competition: The Apes of Wrath - Team 668 - BAE Systems/Capitol Honda/D&M Model & Machine shop/Mchale Creative & Pioneer High School ASB, San Jose California (CA) do battle with Quixilver - Team 604 - Exatron/Google Leland High School, San Jose, California (CA) |
Date |
3/16/07 |
|
AC86-0038
Photographer: N/A Pioneer Ga
1/17/86
Description |
Photographer: N/A Pioneer Galileo mission trajectory artwork (ref: McDonnell Douglas May, 77 # D4C-117575-4) |
Date |
1/17/86 |
|
AC89-0146-1
Artist: unknown Jupiter Miss
3/22/89
Description |
Artist: unknown Jupiter Mission: Pioneer Galileo Entry Probe Artwork |
Date |
3/22/89 |
|
AC89-0146-2
Artist: unknown Jupiter Miss
3/22/89
Description |
Artist: unknown Jupiter Mission: Pioneer Galileo Entry Probe Artwork (descent and separation) |
Date |
3/22/89 |
|
AC89-0146-3
Artist: C Kallas Jupiter Mis
3/22/89
Description |
Artist: C Kallas Jupiter Mission: Pioneer Galileo Entry Probe Artwork (heatshield separation) (jpl ref: 4S30599) |
Date |
3/22/89 |
|
ACD95-0126
ARTIST: DON DAVIS PIONEER GA
4/19/95
Description |
ARTIST: DON DAVIS PIONEER GALILEO PROBE DESCENDS THROUGH JUPITER'S CLOUDS |
Date |
4/19/95 |
|
Venus - Computer Simulated G
PIA00104
Sol (our sun)
Imaging Radar
Title |
Venus - Computer Simulated Global View Centered at 180 Degrees East Longitude |
Original Caption Released with Image |
This global view of the surface of Venus is centered at 180 degrees east longitude. Magellan synthetic aperture radar mosaics from the first cycle of Magellan mapping are mapped onto a computer-simulated globe to create this image. Data gaps are filled with Pioneer Venus Orbiter data, or a constant mid-range value. Simulated color is used to enhance small-scale structure. The simulated hues are based on color images recorded by the Soviet Venera 13 and 14 spacecraft. The image was produced by the Solar System Visualization project and the Magellan science team at the JPL Multimission Image Processing Laboratory and is a single frame from a video released at the October 29, 1991, JPL news conference. |
|
Venus - Lineated Plains in L
PIA00085
Sol (our sun)
Imaging Radar
Title |
Venus - Lineated Plains in Lakshmi Region |
Original Caption Released with Image |
This mosaic shows an area of the Lakshmi region that is located 30 degrees north latitude and 333.3 degrees east longitude. (Longitude on Venus is measured from 0 degrees to 360 degrees east). The area shown measures about 37 kilometers (23 miles) wide and 80 kilometers (50 miles) long. Based on data from the Pioneer Venus Orbiter and the ground-based Arecibo Radar Observatory, it is known that this region is located on the low rise that separates Sedna Planitia and Guinevere Planitia, just to the west of Eistla Regio. Two sets of parallel lineations are seen intersecting almost at right angles. The fainter lineations are spaced at regular intervals of about one kilometer (0.6 mile) and extend beyond the boundary of the image. The width of the faint lineations is at the limit of resolution of the best Magellan images. The brighter, more dominant lineations are less regular and, in places, appear to begin and end where they intersect the fainter lineations. It is not clear whether the two sets of lineations are faults or fractures, but in other Magellan images, these bright lineations are associated with pit craters and volcanic features. This type of terrain has not been seen on Venus nor on other planets. North is at the top of the image. |
|
Venus - Computer Simulated G
PIA00257
Sol (our sun)
Imaging Radar
Title |
Venus - Computer Simulated Global View Centered at 0 Degrees East Longitude |
Original Caption Released with Image |
This global view of the surface of Venus is centered at 0 degrees east longitude. Magellan synthetic aperture radar mosaics from the first cycle of Magellan mapping are mapped onto a computer-simulated globe to create this image. Data gaps are filled with Pioneer Venus Orbiter data, or a constant mid-range value. Simulated color is used to enhance small-scale structure. The simulated hues are based on color images recorded by the Soviet Venera 13 and 14 spacecraft. The image was produced by the Solar System Visualization project and the Magellan Science team at the JPL Multimission Image Processing Laboratory, and is a single frame from a video released at the October 29, 1991, JPL news conference. |
|
Venus - Computer Simulated G
PIA00252
Sol (our sun)
Imaging Radar
Title |
Venus - Computer Simulated Global View of Northern Hemisphere |
Original Caption Released with Image |
The northern hemisphere is displayed in this global view of the surface of Venus. The north pole is at the center of the image, with 0 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 270 degrees east longitudes at the 6, 3, 12, 9 o'clock positions, respectively, of an imaginary clock face. Magellan synthetic aperture radar mosaics from the first cycle of Magellan mapping are mapped onto a computer-simulated globe to create this image. Data gaps are filled with Pioneer Venus Orbiter data, or a constant mid-range value. Simulated color is used to enhance small-scale structure. The simulated hues are based on color images recorded by the Soviet Venera 13 and 14 spacecraft. The image was produced at the JPL Multimission Image Processing Laboratory and is a single frame from a video released at the October 29, 1991, JPL news conference. |
|
Venus - Simple Cylindrical M
PIA00256
Sol (our sun)
Imaging Radar
Title |
Venus - Simple Cylindrical Map of Surface (Eastern Half) |
Original Caption Released with Image |
The eastern half of the planet is displayed in this simple cylindrical map of the surface of Venus. The left edge of the image is at 52.5 degrees east longitude, the right edge at 240 degrees east longitude. The top and bottom of the image are at 90 degrees north latitude and 90 degrees south latitude, respectively. Magellan synthetic aperture radar mosaics from the first cycle of Magellan mapping are mapped onto a rectangular latitude-longitude grid to create this image. Data gaps are filled with Pioneer Venus Orbiter altimetric data, or a constant mid-range value. Simulated color is used to enhance small-scale structure. The simulated hues are based on color images recorded by the Soviet Venera 13 and 14 spacecraft. The image was produced by the Solar System Visualization project and the Magellan science team at the JPL Multimission Image Processing Laboratory. |
|
Dr. von Braun and Dr. Debus
Name of Image |
Dr. von Braun and Dr. Debus During CM-21 Firing |
Date of Image |
1959-01-21 |
Full Description |
In this photo, (left to right) Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) Missile Firing Laboratory Chief Dr. Kurt Debus, Director of the ABMA Development Operations Division, Dr. von Braun and an unidentified individual in blockhouse during the CM-21 (Jupiter) firing. The Jupiter missile CM-21 became the first Chrysler production qualification missile to be fired and in March 1959 launched the Pioneer IV. |
|
Juno II
Name of Image |
Juno II |
Date of Image |
1959-08-14 |
Full Description |
The Juno II launch vehicle, shown here, was a modified Jupiter Intermediate-Range Ballistic missionile, developed by Dr. Wernher von Braun and the rocket team at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. Between December 1958 and April 1961, the Juno II launched space probes Pioneer III and IV, as well as Explorer satellites VII, VIII and XI. |
|
Dr. Robert Goddard
title |
Dr. Robert Goddard |
date |
01.01.1932 |
description |
The Goddard Space Flight Center was named in honor of Dr. Robert Goddard, a pioneer in rocket development. Dr. Goddard received patents for a multi-stage rocket and liquid propellants in 1914 and published a paper describing how to reach extreme altitudes six years later. That paper, "A Method of Reaching Extreme Altitudes," detailed methods for raising weather-recording instruments higher than what could be achieved by balloons and explained the mathematical theories of rocket propulsion. The paper, which was published by the Smithsonian Institution, also discussed the possibility of a rocket reaching the moon -- a position for which the press ridiculed Goddard. Yet several copies of the report found their way to Europe, and by 1927, the German Rocket Society was established, and the German Army began its rocket program in 1931. Goddard, meanwhile, continued his work. By 1926, he had constructed and tested the first rocket using liquid fuel. Goddard's work largely anticipated in technical detail the later German V-2 missiles, including gyroscopic control, steering by means of vanes in the jet stream of the rocket motor, gimbal-steering, power-driven fuel pumps and other devices. *Image Credit*: NASA |
|
These images are composites
3/16/95
Date |
3/16/95 |
Description |
These images are composites of the complete radar image collection obtained by the Magellan mission. The Magellan spacecraft was launched aboard space shuttle Atlantis in May 1989 and began mapping the surface of Venus in September 1990. The spacecraft continued to orbit Venus for four years, returning high-resolution images, altimetry, thermal emissions and gravity maps of 98 percent of the surface. Magellan spacecraft operations ended on October 12, 1994, when the radio contact was lost with the spacecraft during its controlled descent into the deeper portions of the Venusian atmosphere. The surface of Venus is displayed in these five global views. The center image (A) is centered at Venus’s north pole. The other four images are centered around the equator of Venus at (B) 0 degrees longitude, (C) 90 degrees east longitude, (D) 180 degrees and (E) 270 degrees east longitude. Magellan synthetic aperture radar mosaics are mapped onto a rectangular latitude-longitude grid to create this image. Data gaps are filled with Pioneer-Venus Orbiter altimetric data, or a constant mid- range value. Simulated color is used to enhance small-scale structure. The simulated hues are based on color images recorded by the Soviet Venera 13 and 14 spacecraft. The bright region near the center in the polar view is Maxwell Montes, the highest mountain range on Venus. Ovda Regio is centered in the (C) 90 degrees east longitude view. Atla Regio is seen prominently in the (D) 180 east longitude view. The scattered dark patches in this image are halos surrounding some of the younger impact craters. This global data set reveals a number of craters consistent with an average Venus surface age of 300 million to 500 million years. The image was produced by the Solar System Visualization Project and the Magellan science team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory'’s Multimission Image Processing Laboratory. ##### |
|
This image is a composite of
3/16/95
Date |
3/16/95 |
Description |
This image is a composite of the complete radar image collection obtained by the Magellan mission. The Magellan spacecraft was launched aboard space shuttle Atlantis in May 1989 and began mapping the surface of Venus in September 1990. The spacecraft continued to orbit Venus for four years, returning high- resolution images, altimetry, thermal emissions and gravity maps of 98 percent of the surface. Magellan spacecraft operations ended on October 12, 1994, when the radio contact was lost with the spacecraft during its controlled descent into the deeper portions of the Venusian atmosphere. Venus is displayed in this simple cylindrical map of the planet's surface. The right and left edges of the image are at 240 degrees east longitude. The top and bottom of the image are at 90 degrees north latitude and 90 degrees south latitude, respectively. Magellan synthetic aperture radar mosaics are mapped onto a rectangular latitude- longitude grid to create this image. Data gaps are filled with Pioneer-Venus Orbiter altimetric data, or a constant mid-range value. Simulated color is used to enhance small-scale structure. The simulated hues are based on color images recorded by the Soviet Venera 13 and 14 spacecraft. At the top, left of center, the bright region is Maxwell Montes, the highest mountain range on Venus. Extending along the equator to the right of center is Aphrodite Terra, a large highland region on Venus. The scattered dark patches in this image are halos surrounding some of the younger impact craters. This global data set reveals a number of craters consistent with an average Venus surface age of 300 million to 500 million years. The image was produced by the Solar System Visualization Project and the Magellan science team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory'’s Multimission Image Processing Laboratory. ##### |
|
Saturn's Magnetosphere
Description |
Saturn's Magnetosphere |
Full Description |
The magnetosphere is an area of space, around a planet, that is controlled by that planet's magnetic field. Saturn is surrounded by a giant magnetic field, lined up with the rotation axis of the planet. This cannot be explained by current theories. Cassini may explain how the puzzling magnetic field of Saturn is generated. This magnetic field may also cause strange features in the rings called 'spokes'. These markings fall across the rings like spokes in a wheel and may be caused by electrically charged particles caught up in the magnetic field, but there are as yet no detailed theories about them. The brief reconnaissance encounters of the Pioneer 11 and the two Voyager spacecraft have provided most of our current information about the structure and dynamics of Saturn's magnetosphere. Here are some things that we do know: * Saturn's 'bow shock', the region point where the solar wind and the planet's magnetic field meet, much like the bow wave of a ship, is between 20 and 35 times Saturn's radius out into space. * The thickness of the bow shock is about 2000 kilometres. * Saturn's internal magnetic field is closely aligned with the planet's axis of rotation (within 1 degree). Saturn's magnetosphere appears to be intermediate in nature to those of Earth and Jupiter. As with Jupiter's magnetosphere, the dayside inner magnetosphere is mostly driven by the fast planetary rotation. However at night, it is expected that the nightside and outer magnetosphere is primarily driven by the solar wind, as is the case on Earth. * There is an electrical current (the 'equatorial ring current') flowing with about 10 000 000 Amps around 600 000 kilometres above Saturn. * Saturn Kilometric Radiation (SKR) is the principal radio emission from Saturn. SKR is believed to be linked to the way electrons in the solar wind interact with the magnetic field at Saturn's poles. Click here for a high resolution version. *Credit:* ESA |
Date |
June 2, 2004 |
|
Saturn's Magnetosphere
Description |
Saturn's Magnetosphere |
Full Description |
The magnetosphere is an area of space, around a planet, that is controlled by that planet's magnetic field. Saturn is surrounded by a giant magnetic field, lined up with the rotation axis of the planet. This cannot be explained by current theories. Cassini may explain how the puzzling magnetic field of Saturn is generated. This magnetic field may also cause strange features in the rings called 'spokes'. These markings fall across the rings like spokes in a wheel and may be caused by electrically charged particles caught up in the magnetic field, but there are as yet no detailed theories about them. The brief reconnaissance encounters of the Pioneer 11 and the two Voyager spacecraft have provided most of our current information about the structure and dynamics of Saturn's magnetosphere. Here are some things that we do know: * Saturn's 'bow shock', the region point where the solar wind and the planet's magnetic field meet, much like the bow wave of a ship, is between 20 and 35 times Saturn's radius out into space. * The thickness of the bow shock is about 2000 kilometres. * Saturn's internal magnetic field is closely aligned with the planet's axis of rotation (within 1 degree). Saturn's magnetosphere appears to be intermediate in nature to those of Earth and Jupiter. As with Jupiter's magnetosphere, the dayside inner magnetosphere is mostly driven by the fast planetary rotation. However at night, it is expected that the nightside and outer magnetosphere is primarily driven by the solar wind, as is the case on Earth. * There is an electrical current (the 'equatorial ring current') flowing with about 10 000 000 Amps around 600 000 kilometres above Saturn. * Saturn Kilometric Radiation (SKR) is the principal radio emission from Saturn. SKR is believed to be linked to the way electrons in the solar wind interact with the magnetic field at Saturn's poles. Click here for a high resolution version. *Credit:* ESA |
Date |
June 2, 2004 |
|
Mercury-Atlas Test Launch
Title |
Mercury-Atlas Test Launch |
Full Description |
A NASA Project Mercury spacecraft was test launched at 11:15 AM EST on April 25, 1961 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in a test designed to qualify the Mercury Spacecraft and all systems, which must function during orbit and reentry from orbit. The Mercury-Atlas vehicle was destroyed by Range Safety Officer about 40 seconds after liftoff. The spacecraft was recovered and appeared to be in good condition. Atlas was designed to launch payloads into low Earth orbit, geosynchronous transfer orbit or geosynchronous orbit. NASA first launched Atlas as a space launch vehicle in 1958. Project SCORE, the first communications satellite that transmitted President Eisenhower's pre-recorded Christmas speech around the world, was launched on an Atlas. For all three robotic lunar exploration programs, Atlas was used. Atlas/ Centaur vehicles launched both Mariner and Pioneer planetary probes. The current operational Atlas II family has a 100% mission success rating. For more information about Atlas, please see Chapter 2 in Roger Launius and Dennis Jenkins' book To Reach the High Frontier published by The University Press of Kentucky in 2002. |
Date |
04/25/1961 |
NASA Center |
Kennedy Space Center |
|
Orbital Trajectories Present
Title |
Orbital Trajectories Presentation |
Full Description |
On June 28, 1958, Charles Lundquist (right) gave a presentation on orbital trajectories at the Army Ballestic Missile Agency in Huntsville, Alabama to Hermann Oberth (left) and Wernher Von Braun (center). Von Braun was an active proponent of utilizing space stations as "base camps" to other planets and satellites. Hermann Oberth was Von Braun's mentor and was a pioneer in suggesting that space stations would be essential if humans wished to travel to other planets. Charles Lundquist was the chief of the Physics and Astrophysics branch within the former Research Projects Division at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. |
Date |
06/28/1958 |
NASA Center |
Headquarters |
|
Dr. Robert Goddard
Title |
Dr. Robert Goddard |
Full Description |
The Goddard Space Flight Center was named in honor of Dr. Robert Goddard, a pioneer in rocket development. Dr. Goddard received patents for a multi-stage rocket and liquid propellants in 1914 and published a paper describing how to reach extreme altitudes six years later. That paper, "A Method of Reaching Extreme Altitudes," detailed methods for raising weather-recording instruments higher than what could be achieved by balloons and explained the mathematical theories of rocket propulsion. The paper, which was published by the Smithsonian Institution, also discussed the possibility of a rocket reaching the moon-a position for which the press ridiculed Goddard. Yet several copies of the report found their way to Europe, and by1927, the German Rocket Society was established, and the German Army began its rocket program in 1931. Goddard, meanwhile, continued his work. By 1926, he had constructed and tested the first rocket using liquid fuel. Goddard's work largely anticipated in technical detail the later German V-2 missiles, including gyroscopic control, steering by means of vanes in the jet stream of the rocket motor, gimbal-steering, power-driven fuel pumps and other devices. |
Date |
01/01/1932 |
NASA Center |
Goddard Space Flight Center |
|
First Mercury-Atlas Attempte
Title |
First Mercury-Atlas Attempted Launch |
Full Description |
An Atlas vehicle is shown as it is raised into its launch gantry. This Atlas attempted to launch a Mercury spacecraft (without any astronauts aboard) into orbital flight. The launch vehicle developed 360,000 pounds of thrust and burned RP-1, a kerosene-like fuel, and liquid oxygen. It was about 60 feet in length and 10 feet in diameter at the tank section. This was the first attempt by NASA to put a Mercury spacecraft into Earth orbit. Unfortunately, this Atlas exploded at launch. Atlas was designed to launch payloads into low Earth orbit, geosynchronous transfer orbit or geosynchronous orbit. NASA first launched Atlas as a space launch vehicle in 1958. Project SCORE, the first communications satellite that transmitted President Eisenhower's pre-recorded Christmas speech around the world, was launched on an Atlas. For all three robotic lunar exploration programs, Atlas was used. Atlas/ Centaur vehicles launched Mariner and Pioneer planetary probes. The current operational Atlas II family has a 100% mission success rating. For more information about Atlas, please see Chapter 2 in Roger Launius and Dennis Jenkins' book To Reach the High Frontier published by The University Press of Kentucky in 2002. |
Date |
04/23/1961 |
NASA Center |
Headquarters |
|
Unloading Atlas Launch Vehic
Title |
Unloading Atlas Launch Vehicle |
Full Description |
The Atlas launch vehicle is shown being unloaded at Cape Canaveral, Florida. This vehicle was expected to launch a Mercury spacecraft (without any astronauts aboard), built by McDonnell Aircraft Corp., into orbit. The Atlas attempted to place the Mercury spacecraft into its first orbital flight. The spacecraft was supposed to be launched in an orbital flight path and reentry was to be initiated about 90 minutes later as the craft neared the end of the first orbit. Unfortunately, this Atlas exploded at launch. Atlas was designed to launch payloads into low Earth orbit, geosynchronous transfer orbit or geosynchronous orbit. NASA first launched Atlas as a space launch vehicle in 1958. Project SCORE, the first communications satellite that transmitted President Eisenhower's pre-recorded Christmas speech around the world, was launched on an Atlas. For all three robotic lunar exploration programs, Atlas was used. Atlas/ Centaur vehicles launched both Mariner and Pioneer planetary probes. The current operational Atlas II family has a 100% mission success rating. For more information about Atlas, please see Chapter 2 in Roger Launius and Dennis Jenkins' book To Reach the High Frontier published by The University Press of Kentucky in 2002. |
Date |
04/23/1961 |
NASA Center |
Kennedy Space Center |
|
Launch of Mercury-Atlas
Title |
Launch of Mercury-Atlas |
Full Description |
In this Project Mercury test, a spacecraft booster by a modified Atlas was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Mercury capsule reached a peak altitude of 107 statute miles and landed 1.425 miles down range. Atlas was designed to launch payloads into low Earth orbit, geosynchronous transfer orbit or geosynchronous orbit. NASA first launched Atlas as a space launch vehicle in 1958. Project SCORE, the first communications satellite that transmitted President Eisenhower's pre-recorded Christmas speech around the world, was launched on an Atlas. For all three robotic lunar exploration programs, Atlas was used. Atlas/ Centaur vehicles launched both Mariner and Pioneer planetary probes. The current operational Atlas II family has a 100% mission success rating. For more information about Atlas, please see Chapter 2 in Roger Launius and Dennis Jenkins' book To Reach the High Frontier published by The University Press of Kentucky in 2002 (in which Dennis Jenkins notes on page 98 that "as a space launch vehicle there is no question that Atlas has made a mark for itself, and a great deal of money for its manufacturers"). |
Date |
02/21/1961 |
NASA Center |
Kennedy Space Center |
|
Venus Hemispherical Globes
PIA03151
Sol (our sun)
Arecibo Radar Data, Imaging
Title |
Venus Hemispherical Globes |
Original Caption Released with Image |
The images used for the base of this globe show the northern and southern hemispheres of Venus as revealed by more than a decade of radar investigations culminating in the 1990-1994 Magellan mission. The Magellan spacecraft imaged more than 98% of Venus at a resolution of about 100 meters, the effective resolution of these images is about 3 kilometers. A mosaic of the Magellan images (most with illumination from the west) forms the image base. Gaps in the Magellan coverage were filled with images from Soviet Venera 15 and 16 spacecraft in the northern quarter of the planet, with images from the Earth-based Arecibo radar in a region centered roughly on 0 degrees latitude and 0 degrees longitude, and with a neutral tone elsewhere (primarily near the south pole). The composite image was processed to improve contrast and to emphasize small features and was color-coded to represent elevation. Gaps in the elevation data from the Magellan radar altimeter were filled with altimetry from the Venera spacecraft and the U.S. Pioneer Venus missions. The images are presented in a projection that portrays the entire surface of Venus in a manner suitable for the production of a globe. A specialized program was used to create the "flower petal" appearance of the images, the area of each petal from 0 to 75 degrees latitude is in the Transverse Mercator projection, and the area from 75 to 90 degrees latitude is in the Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection. The projections for adjacent petals overlap by 2 degrees of longitude, so that some features are shown twice. (See PIA03167 [ http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA03167 ] for the image with place names.) |
|
Venus Hemispherical Globes (
PIA03167
Sol (our sun)
Arecibo Radar Data, Imaging
Title |
Venus Hemispherical Globes (with place names) |
Original Caption Released with Image |
The images used for the base of this globe show the northern and southern hemispheres of Venus as revealed by more than a decade of radar investigations culminating in the 1990-1994 Magellan mission. The Magellan spacecraft imaged more than 98% of Venus at a resolution of about 100 meters, the effective resolution of these images is about 3 kilometers. A mosaic of the Magellan images (most with illumination from the west) forms the image base. Gaps in the Magellan coverage were filled with images from Soviet Venera 15 and 16 spacecraft in the northern quarter of the planet, with images from the Earth-based Arecibo radar in a region centered roughly on 0 degrees latitude and 0 degrees longitude, and with a neutral tone elsewhere (primarily near the south pole). The composite image was processed to improve contrast and to emphasize small features and was color-coded to represent elevation. Gaps in the elevation data from the Magellan radar altimeter were filled with altimetry from the Venera spacecraft and the U.S. Pioneer Venus missions. The images are presented in a projection that portrays the entire surface of Venus in a manner suitable for the production of a globe. A specialized program was used to create the "flower petal" appearance of the images, the area of each petal from 0 to 75 degrees latitude is in the Transverse Mercator projection, and the area from 75 to 90 degrees latitude is in the Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection. The projections for adjacent petals overlap by 2 degrees of longitude, so that some features are shown twice. Names are approved by the International Astronomical Union. (See PIA03151 [ http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA03151 ] for the image without place names.) |
|
Topological Features of a Co
Title |
Topological Features of a Compressible Plasma Vortex Sheet - a Model of the Outer Heliospheric Wind |
Abstract |
The Voyager and Pioneer Spacecraft have detected large-scale quasi-periodic plasma fluctuations in the outer heliosphere beyond 20 AU. A plasma vortex sheet model can explain these fluctuations and the observed correlations between various physical variables. The large scale outer heliosphere is modeled by solving the 3-D compressible magnetohydrodynamic equations involving three interacting shear layers. Computations were done on a Cray computer at the NASA Center for Computational Sciences. Six cases are animated: Weak magnetic field and strong magnetic field, each at three values of tau, the vortex street characteristic time. Contours of density are shown as dark transparent 'tubes'. Critical points of the velocity field are represented by 'Glyphs'. Vortex cores are shown in orange and blue. |
Completed |
1993-12-17 |
|
Hubble Provides the First Im
Title |
Hubble Provides the First Images of Saturn's Aurorae |
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Hubble Monitors Weather on N
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Hubble Monitors Weather on Neighboring Planets |
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Hubble Again Views Saturn's
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Hubble Again Views Saturn's Rings Edge-On |
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NASA's Hubble Space Telescop
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NASA's Hubble Space Telescope Produces Clear Color Photo of Jupiter |
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