The Japanese Hayabusa spacecraft is about to conclude a seven year journey. If all goes well, a small return capsule, possibly containing surface samples from the asteroid, 25143 Itokawa, will reenter and parachute to a landing in the Australian desert.
The target for the Hayabusa mission, 25143 Itokawa, is an asteroid measuring approximately 540 meters by 310 meters by 250 meters, with an orbital period of 1.52 years
The asteroid was discovered on 26 September 1998 by the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) Team. The asteroid was giving the designation 'Asteroid 1998SF36'.
In 2003, the International Astronomical Union (IAU), named the asteroid for Professor Hideo Itokawa. Professor Itokawa, an aerospace engineer, pioneered the development of solid fueled rockets. Known as Dr. Rocket in Japan, Itokawa played an instrumental role in early Japanese space exploration. Professor Itokawa died in 1999.
Hayabusa was launched on the M-V-5 booster (illustration at right) on 9 May 2003 from the Kagoshima launch center.
The M-V rocket was the largest and most capable of the Japanese Mu series of rockets. The solid fueled rocket measured 30.8 meters tall and 2.5 meters in diameter. The M-V rocket was used primarily for scientific missions. In addition to the Hayabusa asteroid mission, M-V rockets launched a number of astronomy satellites. Of the seven rockets launched, six were successes.
Hayabusa, originally called Muses-C, is a pioneering sample return mission, powered by a highly efficient, ion propulsion system. If all went well, the spacecraft would rendezvous with the asteroid, 25143 Itokawa, survey its surface from a station keeping position, conduct several landings on the surface, collect samples, lift off and return the samples to Earth.
The spacecraft was designed to collect samples from three areas on the asteroids surface. Three mirrored balls, one for each landing approach, were carried. As the spacecraft approached the asteroid, one of the highly reflective balls would be dropped to the surface. The reflection from the ball would show up clearly in images taken by onboard cameras. Analyzed by onboard computers, the balls would provide fixed reference points to aid navigation during the final approach and sample collection.
Near the surface, a collection horn, extending from the bottom of the spacecraft, would contact the surface. A small metal projectile would then be fired into the surface, within the cone. Asteroid material, thrown up by the impact, would be funneled into a collection device.
The spacecraft carried a small surface lander, known as Minerva. Minerva was designed to be deployed as Hayabusa approached the asteroid. Minerva was not part of the sample collection system.
In addition to Minerva, Hayabusa carried a number of instruments to image and analyze the asteroid's surface. Included was a Light Detection and Ranging Instrument (LIDAR), an X-Ray Flourescence Spectrometer (XRS), a Near Infrared Spectrometer (NIRS), a Telescopic Camera (AMICA), and a Wide-View Camera (ONC-W).
The Hayabusa spacecraft has experienced its share of problems. Exposure to a solar flare early in the mission degraded its solar panels, resulting in less power available for its electric propulsion system. Operations were further hampered when a reaction wheel failed in July 2005. Another reaction wheel failure, in September 2005, left the spacecraft with only one functioning wheel, forcing the spacecraft to depend more on chemical thrusters to maintain attitude.
Hayabusa rendezvoused with Itokawa on 12 September 2005. The spacecraft spent several weeks mapping the asteroid, from station keeping positions nearby.
On 12 November 2005, Hayabusa, during a practice approach, deployed the small Minerva lander. Unfortunatly, Minerva was released at the wrong time. Contact was lost and it probably missed the asteroid completely.
The first surface touch down occurred on 20 November 2005. This was the first time a spacecraft made a controlled landing and take-off from an asteroid. Unfortunately, the spacecraft was not able to collect a sample on this landing. A second landing took place on 26 November 2005. Initial indications were that a sample was collected. Later telemetry, however, indicated part of the sample collection system might not have worked properly. It is unclear if any samples were collected.
All communication with Hayabusa was lost on 9 December 2005. Contact was not made again until March 2006. Apparently a chemical fuel leak, in the bi-propellant fuel system, caused the spacecraft to lose attitude control. Unable to stabilize itself, the spacecraft could not aim its antenna at Earth for a period of time.
On 25 April 2007, the spacecraft started the long journey back to Earth. Despite the failure of two of three reaction wheels, degraded solar panels, a fuel leak, problems with the ion propulsion system, and a number of other anomalies, the spacecraft is very near to completing its mission. Scientists are unsure if the spacecraft actually collected a sample of the asteroids surface.
With or without samples, the Hayabusa mission has provided invaluable data about the surface features and composition of asteroid Itokawa. Techniques pioneered on this mission are certain to be beneficial for future sample return missions.
Posted 3 May 2010
In two weeks, the Space Shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to lift-off on a 12 day mission to the International Space Station. The mission, designated ULF4, will transport the Russian Mini Research Module-1 and a number of spare parts to the orbiting station. Three EVA's are scheduled while docked to the station.
The six astronaut crew consists of commander Kenneth Ham, pilot Dominic Antonelli, mission specialists Garrett Reisman, Michael Good, Piers Sellers and Stephen Bowen.
The mission is scheduled for lift-off on May 14 at 2:19pm EDT (1819 GMT). For live coverage of the launch, visit Spaceflightnow.com. Live coverage starts at 9:30am EST (1430 GMT) on launch day.
STS-132 is the last scheduled mission for Atlantis. According to current plans, shuttle Discovery will makes its final flight, as STS-133, later this year. STS-134, to be flown by Endeavour, will be the last shuttle mission to fly. A possibility remains of a few more flights being added to the program.
A cargo carrier, known as the Integrated Cargo Carrier (ICC), will be mounted in the shuttle payload bay. Attached to the ICC will be a number of spare parts to be stored at the station. Included are six battery units, spare parts for the Canadian Dextre robotic arm, an extra Ku-band antenna, and other components.
A primary payload of STS-132 will be the Russian built Mini Research Module-1, or MRM-1 (illustration at right - with astronaut for scale). The installation of MRM-1 will provide the station with additional storage space, as well as additional clearance for Soyuz docking approaches. The MLM will be berthed at the Nadir (Earth facing) port of the Zarya (FGB) module. (See image below for location of MRM-1 module.)
MRM-1 will be launched with Russian and American supplies loaded inside. Once installed and unpacked, the module will add around six square meters of internal volume for the station.
Four trunnions, mounted two per side on outriggers, support the module in the Shuttles payload bay during launch. Grapple fixtures on the module will allow the Shuttle's Remote Manipulator System, Canadarm, to remove it from the payload bay. The module will be passed to the stations arm, Canadarm 2, for final installation.
Several components, attached to the MRM-1 exterior, will be later installed on the Multi-purpose Laboratory Module (MLM). These items include a scientific airlock, a radiator, a work platform, and a spare elbow joint for the European Robotic Arm (ERA). The MLM, scheduled for launch on a Proton rocket in late 2011, will dock at the Nadir port of the Zvezda service module.
Launch dates and details about upcoming ISS missions are subject to change.
| May 14 | STS-132 |   | Space Shuttle Atlantis delivers Integrated Cargo Carrier and Mini Research Module 1. |
| June | ATV-2 |  | European automated transfer vehicle delivers supplies and re-boosts station. |
| June 16 | TMA-19 |   | Soyuz transports Expedition 24 crewmembers to the space station. |
| June 28 | Progress 38 | | Progress supply ship |
| August 31 | Progress 39 | | Progress supply ship |
| September 16 | STS-133 | | Space Shuttle Discovery delivers EXPRESS Logistics Carrier (ELC4) and Permanent Multi-Purpose Module (PMM). |
| September 29 | TMA-20 | | Soyuz transports Expedition 25 crewmembers to the space station. |
| October 27 | Progress 40 | | Progress supply ship |
| November | STS-134 | | Space Shuttle Endeavour delivers EXPRESS Logistics Carrier (ELC3) and Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS). |
| December 27 | Progress 41 | | Progress supply ship |
Posted 1 May 2010
The Titan rocket was developed in the 1950's as an intercontinental ballistic missile. The rocket evolved into one of the worlds most important launch vehicles. Payloads included all Gemini missions, several high profile space probes, including both Viking mars probes, both Voyager probes, and the Cassini/Huygens Saturn mission.
Many important military payloads, including large intelligence gathering spacecraft, early warning spacecraft, and military communications satellites, were launched on Titan rockets.
The last Titan rocket launch, a Titan IVB, lifted off on 19 October 2005.
America’s Gemini program consisted of two unmanned and ten manned missions flown during 1965 and 1966. The highly successful Gemini program helped bridge the gap between the Mercury and Apollo programs.
The Gemini spacecraft was composed of five major components, including a rendezvous and recovery section, re-entry control system, cabin section, retrograde section, and an equipment section. The base of the equipment section interfaced with the Titan II rocket. The Titan II, originally developed as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), was modified as a launcher for Gemini spacecraft.
Gemini-Titan missions were launched from Pad-19 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
The astronauts sat side by side in the capsule. The commander, known as the command pilot, sat in the left seat, while the pilot sat in the right seat. The crew sat in ejection seats. Lacking an escape tower similar to Mercury or the later Apollo spacecraft, the ejection seats provided a way for the astronauts to escape from the vehicle, at least at low altitudes.
Gemini program objectives included long-duration missions, lasting as long as two weeks, as well as orbital maneuvering, rendezvous and docking. Several docking targets, including the GATV (Gemini Agena Target Vehicle) and the ATDA (Augmented Target Docking Adapter), were developed. The docking targets were launched separately on Atlas rockets.
Gemini spacecraft were investigated for use by the United States Air Force. Sometimes referred to as Gemini-B or Blue Gemini, these proposed missions would conduct military operations as part of the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) project. The Gemini 2 spacecraft was re-flown on an Air Force Titan-IIIC in 1966.
Land recovery, using landing skids and an inflatable wing, were investigated early in the program. However, time constraints required switching to a more traditional parachute and ocean landing. Several developmental spacecraft, including Gemini TTV-1, TTV-2, and El Kabong, were constructed to test techniques for landing spacecraft on existing runways.
Experience gained during project Gemini proved critical to the success of the Apollo lunar missions later in the decade.
I have started a Japanese rockets page, and a European rockets page.
Posted 27 April 2010
The new and improved Atlas rockets page has been uploaded. Many new illustrations have been added.
Posted 8 April 2010
The upgrades continue. I've started to split up the ever growing Space Probes page into a number of more focused pages. The Pioneer Program and the Discovery Program have each been given their own page. These topic now includes basic illustrations for each spacecraft, an illustration of the rocket that launched them, and a brief description of the mission.
The top of each updated page includes a diagram showing all spacecraft drawn to scale. An astronaut figure is included to better show the sizes involved.
I have also updated the Delta rockets page. The black and white line drawings have been replaced with color renderings of each rocket. Expanded descriptions are being added. This gives a good idea of what I hope to do with each of the rocket family pages in the coming weeks.
I'm currently working on updating the Atlas rocket page. That should be ready to upload in a few days.
Posted 29 March 2010
Historic Spacecraft has added a Mir space station page. The page features original illustrations of the station and individual modules. Brief descriptions of each module are included. I plan on adding more content to the Mir page in the future.
The Mir base module was launched on February 20, 1986.
Large expansion modules, launched on Proton rockets, were periodically added to the station. These modules used automated docking techniques developed during the missions of Salyut 6 and 7.
Crews were launched using Soyuz rockets and capsules. Progress spacecraft, also launched on Soyuz rockets, carried food, fuel, water, and other supplies to the station.
Starting in July 1995, several American space shuttles docked with the Mir station. Seven American astronauts lived onboard the station for extended periods of time. Shannon Lucid’s six month tour was the longest American stay on the station.
Cosmonauts performed many long duration stays aboard the station. Several spent over one year on the station. Dr. Valeri Polyakov lived aboard the station for a record 438 consecutive days.
With the International Space Station under construction in the late 1990’s, Mir was abandoned. Using progress tugs, Russian controllers were able to re-enter the station over a remote area of the Pacific ocean.
Operated in orbit for over a decade, the Mir space station proved human outposts could be maintained for extended periods of time.
Posted 25 March 2010
Over the coming months, I will be updating the entire Historic Spacecraft web site.
At its core, Historic Spacecraft will still contain hundreds of original space-hardware photographs, photos taken by myself and a few generous donors. What will be changing is the amount of supplementary content. I will be adding more detailed descriptions for many spacecraft. New illustrations are being created for the expanded content.
Checkout the recently renovated Skylab page to see what I'm talking about. Expect a similar page, focused on the Mir space station, to be uploaded later this week. A page focused on the Pioneer series of probes should be ready by the end of the month.
Several new photographs have been added. Including models of the Beagle 2 Mars lander and the Huygens Titan lander. Both models are on display at the London Science Museum.
Posted 14 March 2010
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Added images of the Soyuz spacecraft from the Apollo-Soyuz display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. |
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The Robotic Probes page has been expanded. A data table has been added for the Soviet Luna series of probes. Several illustration I created in the late 1990's have been added. |
Posted September 12, 2009
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The Robotic Probes page has been expanded. I now have photographed engineering models or mockups for nearly all the Pioneer probes. I have also added photos for Mariner 2, Mariner 10, New Horizons, Mars 96, and Voyager. |
More photos on the way!
Posted August 26, 2009
Kevin Barrett has contributed photos from a recent Space Center Houston visit.
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Thanks to Kevin for contributing these great photos!
Posted August 16, 2009
 
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WhiteKnightTwo Demonstration Flight at EAA Airventure 2009I visited EAA Airventure on Monday and Tuesday of last week. Organized by the Experimental Aircraft Association, EAA Airventure is a week long aviation event held annually in Oshkosh Wisconsin. As with past visits, we were witness to an impressive display of aerial demonstrations, forums, and aircraft static displays. A highlight of the event was the arrival of WhiteKnightTwo. Build by Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites, the twin fuselage, four engine, all carbon composite aircraft was designed to lift SpaceShipTwo to its launch altitude. SpaceShipTwo, scheduled to start flight testing later this year, will conduct passenger flights into space. WhiteKnightTwo, along with SpaceShipTwo, will be operated by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic space tourism company. Check out the Commercial Spacecraft page for more WhiteKnightTwo Photos. Posted August 3, 2009 |
I've uploaded some photos of the space shuttle external tanks and solid rocket booster motors on display at Kennedy Space Center and the United States Space and Rocket Center.
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I have also added a cronological list of completed shuttle missions. This list includes launch and landing dates, duration, crew size, payload and mission for each flight.
Posted July 20, 2009
I've uploaded some spacesuit photos from my Florida trip.
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More photos on the way!
Posted July 8, 2009
Last week, I visited Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. I took hundreds of new photos. I’ll be uploading sets of these photos over the next few weeks. To start things off, I’ve updated the rocket pages with some of the new photos.
I have also started adding original illustrations to many pages. Most of the rocket pages now include a drawing Illustrating the development of the rocket over the years. I have included a human figure in most of the drawings to show the relative scale of the rockets.
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Check out the Thor-Delta page to see new photos of a Thor-Able, Delta-B, and a Delta-IV Common Booster Core. |
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Photos of the Titan I ICBM on display at the Air Force Space and Missile Museum have been added to the Titan page. |
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The rocket garden at the KSC visitor center displays two Atlas rockets. Photos of both the Atlas-F and Atlas-D are now included on the Atlas page. |
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On the Saturn Rockets page, I have added photos of the Saturn-IB from the rocket garden. |
I expect to add many photosets in the coming days. Including spacecraft, spacesuits, and launch pads.
Posted July 6, 2009
I've added several new photosets. Included are photos of the space shuttle Enterprise on the Space Shuttle page. Also find photos of a Pegasus-XL, a Minuteman III, and a V-2 rocket on the Other Rockets page.
Posted on June 17, 2009
The Kepler mission successfully launched today. This space telescope will search for Earth-sized planets orbiting distant stars.
In recent years, scientists have discovered several hundred planets orbiting other stars. However, most of these planets are very large, gas giant, type planets. Others are planets far too close to stars to provide an Earth-like environment for life.
Earth-like planets, because of their small size, are very difficult to locate from ground based telescopes. Earth's atmosphere creates too much distortion to see such small, distant objects.
By focusing on a single field of view for three and a half years, Kepler will search for short term dimming of stars. Twice per hour, Kepler will observe over 100,000 stars looking for dimming that might indicate the passage of a planet orbiting the star. (Think of a Solar eclipse. As the Moon passes in front of the Sun, the sunlight reaching Earth dims for a period of time.)
The main scientific instrument, indeed the only instrument, is a Schmidt type telescope with a .95 meter aperture and a 1.4 meter primary mirror. The focal plane array includes an amazing 95 megapixels!
The price tag for the Kepler mission, including development, construction, launch cost, and the first 3.5 years of operation, is around $600 million.
Detailed mission information is available at the NASA Kepler website.
This NASAtelevision video provides a quick overview of the Kepler mission.
Kepler will be the tenth mission flown under NASA’s Discovery program. The Discovery program is a series of competitively chosen, low cost, rapidly developed, space probes.
Proposals must come in under a predetermined price cap. The cap includes development, construction, launch and operation costs. To meet these goals, mission planners need to quickly develop and fly missions. This helps reduce the ‘mission creep’ that can result in the delays and spiraling cost overruns experienced by some flagship missions.
The low-cost approach to space exploration means more missions can be flown. Since the first Discovery mission, NEAR, was launched in 1996, missions have been flown every year or two.
NEAR (Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous) - Launched on 17FEB1996, NEAR became the first probe to orbit, then land on, an asteroid. NEAR returned over 160,000 images of its target, 433 Eros, the largest of the Near Earth Asteroids.
Mars Pathfinder - Launched on 4DEC1996, Mars Pathfinder became the first Mars lander to use the airbag landing system. Pathfinder deployed a small rover known as Sojourner. The experience gained operating the rover, as well as the successful use of the airbag landing system, proved critical to the later success of the much larger and more capable Mars Exploration Rovers launched in 2003.
Lunar Prospector - Launched on 6JAN1998, Lunar Prospector mapped the chemical composition of the Lunar surface.
Stardust - Launched on 7FEB1999, this highly successful mission conducted a flyby of Comet Wild 2. During the flyby, particles were collected and returned to Earth. The Stardust return capsule is now on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.. (Photos)
Genesis - Launched on 8AUG2001, the Genesis mission collected solar wind particles and returned them to Earth for study. Despite a parachute failure during reentry, much of the data was recovered.
Contour (Comet Nucleus Tour) - Launched on 3JUL2003, Contour was planned to rendezvous with and explore two diverse comets. Unfortunately, Contour failed several weeks after launch.
Messenger (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) - Launched on 3AUG2004, the Messenger mission will go into orbit around the planet Mercury in 2011. This will be the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury.
Deep Impact - Launched on 12JAN2005, the Deep Impact mission conducted a flyby of Comet Tempel 1. Prior to the flyby, a large 770 pound impactor was released. As planned, the impactor struck the comet at a speed of 23,000 miles per hour, creating a crater and ejecting comet material into space. From a safe distance, the main spacecraft photographed and studied the impact and resulting plume.
Dawn - This mission, launched on 26SEP2007, will orbit two of the largest bodies in the main asteroid belt - Ceres and Vesta. The Dawn spacecraft utilizes solar powered ion thrusters for propulsion. The mission is currently enroot to a 2011 rendezvous with Vesta. The mission will reach Ceres in 2014.
Posted on March 6, 2009
Apollo 9 was launched into Earth orbit on March 3, 1969. Astronauts James McDivitt, Russell Schweickart and David Scott conducted the first manned test of the Lunar Module and the Apollo space suits. Returning to Earth on March 13, 1969, this highly successful mission paved the way for future Apollo missions.
This NASAtelevision video provides a quick overview of the Apollo 9 mission.
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I was a volunteer at the Michigan Space and Science Center from 1996 to 2003. During this time, our premier exhibit was the Apollo 9 space capsule. While at the museum, a fairly comprehensive set of interior photos was taken. Included are photos of control panels, storage areas, navigation equipment, docking tunnel and other areas. These photos may be viewed on the Apollo Capsules page. |
Posted March 3, 2009
Images by Richard Kruse are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.