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STEREO
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article documents a current spaceflight. Information may change rapidly as the mission progresses. |
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| STEREO | |
|---|---|
 One STEREO spacecraft |
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| Organization: | NASA |
| Major Contractors: | Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory |
| Mission type: | Solar Terrestrial Probes |
| Satellite of: | Sun |
| Launch Date: | October 26, 2006 00:52 GMT |
| Launch Vehicle: | Delta II 7925 |
| Mission Duration: | 2 years minimum |
| Webpage: | http://stereo.jhuapl.edu/ |
| Mass: | approximately 1142 pounds (642 kg) each |
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STEREO (Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory) is a solar observation mission which was launched on 26 October 2006 at 00:52 GMT.[1] Two identical spacecraft were launched into orbits that cause them to (respectively) pull further ahead of and fall gradually behind the earth. This will enable stereoscopic imaging of the Sun and solar phenomena, such as Coronal Mass Ejections.
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On November 9, 2005 both spacecraft were shipped from Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory to Goddard Space Flight Center, in preparation for launch[2]. As of May 3, 2006, the twin spacecraft were undergoing final pre-launch tests and preparations at the Astrotech Spacecraft Processing Facility in Florida. The Delta II rocket destined to carry the STEREO spacecraft into orbit was being assembled at Launch Complex 17. The STEREO spacecraft were scheduled to be mated to the Delta II on July 10, 2006.[3] [4]
They were launched into highly elliptical geocentric orbits on October 26, 2006 (UTC), with an apogee at approximately the distance of the Moon. On December 15, 2006 (on the fifth orbit), the pair swung by the moon for a gravitational slingshot. This slingshot will send the ahead spacecraft (designated "A") to a heliocentric orbit inside Earth's orbit. The behind spacecraft ("B") encountered the Moon again on the same orbital revolution on January 21, 2007, placing it into a heliocentric orbit outside the Earth's orbit. Spacecraft A will take 347 days to complete one revolution of the sun, with Spacecraft B taking 387 days. The A spacecraft will drift away from the Earth at rate of 21.650 deg/year. The B spacecraft will drift away from the Earth at a rate of -21.999 degrees per year.
Each of the spacecraft carries cameras, particle experiments and radio detectors in four instrument packages:
- Sun Earth Connection Coronal and Heliospheric Investigation (SECCHI) - SECCHI has five cameras: an extreme ultraviolet imager and two white-light coronagraphs (collectively known as the Sun Centered Instrument Package or SCIP), which image the solar disk and the inner and outer corona, plus two heliospheric imagers (called the HI), which image the space between Sun and Earth. The purpose of SECCHI is to study the 3-D evolution of Coronal Mass Ejections through their full journey from the Sun's surface through the corona and interplanetary medium to their impact at Earth.[5] [6]
- In-situ Measurements of Particles and CME Transients (IMPACT) - IMPACT will study energetic particles, the three-dimensional distribution of solar wind electrons and interplanetary magnetic field.[5] [7]
- PLAsma and SupraThermal Ion Composition (PLASTIC) - PLASTIC will study the plasma characteristics of protons, alpha particles and heavy ions.[5]
- STEREO/WAVES (SWAVES) - SWAVES is a radio burst tracker that will study radio disturbances traveling from the Sun to the orbit of Earth.[5]
- Attitude determination - Each STEREO spacecraft has a primary and a backup Miniature Inertial Measurement Unit (MIMU), provided by Honeywell, which measure changes to the spacecraft attitude[8]. Each MIMU is equipped with three ring-laser gyroscopes to detect angular changes.
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This section is a stub. You can help by expanding it. |
 The STEREO Space Probes in a Goddard Center Cleanroom |
 One of the first images of the Sun taken by STEREO |
 The Moon passing in front of the Sun from STEREO-B, February 25, 2007 (See the movie of the transit) |
- SOHO, solar observatory launched in 1995, still operational.
- Ulysses probe, 1990 mission, still operational.
- Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE), launched 1997, still operational.
- Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE), launched 1998, still operational.
- Triana
- ^ NASA Launch Schedule. NASA Missions (September 20, 2006). Retrieved on September 20, 2006.
- ^ STEREO Mission Status (November 2005). Retrieved on May 30, 2006.
- ^ STEREO Mission Status (May 2006). Retrieved on May 30, 2006.
- ^ Kaiser M. L. (2005). "The STEREO mission: an overview". Solar Encounter, Solar-B and Stereo Advances in Space Research 36 (8): 1483-1488.
- ^ a b c d STEREO Spacecraft & Instruments. NASA Missions (March 8, 2006). Retrieved on May 30, 2006.
- ^ Howard R. A., Moses J. D., Socker D. G., Dere K. P., Cook J. W. (2002). "Sun Earth Connection Coronal and Heliospheric Investigation (SECCHI)". Solar Variabilit and Solar Physics Missions Advances in Space Research 29 (12): 2017-2026.
- ^ Luhmann J. G., Curtis D. W., Lin R. P., Larson D, Schroeder P., Cummings A., Mewaldt R. A., Stone E. C., Davis A., von Rosenvinge T., Acuna M. H., Rearnes D., Ng C., Ogilvie K., Mueller-Mellin R., Kunow H., Mason G. M., Wiedenbeck M., Sauvaud A., Aoustin C., Louarn P., Dandouras J., Korth A., Bothmer V., Vasyliunas V., Sanderson T., Marsden R. G., Russell C. T., Gosling J. T., Bougeret J. L., McComas D. J., Linker J. A., Riley P., Odstrcil D., Pizzo V. J., Gombosi T., DeZeeuw D., Gombosi T., DeZeeuw D., Kecskemety K. (2005). "IMPACT: Science goals and firsts with STEREO". Solar Encounter, Solar-B and Stereo Advances in Space Research 36 (8): 1534-1543.
- ^ Honeywell To Provide Miniature Inertial Measurement Units For STEREO Spacecraft. Web. Honeywell International, Inc.. Retrieved on October 25, 2006.
- STEREO spacecraft to image solar blasts in glorious 3-D, New Scientist December 9 2005
- Orbit simulations, on the NASA site
| Sun Spacecraft Missions | |
|---|---|
| Orbiters: Pioneer 6, 7, 8 and 9 | Helios probes | Ulysses probe | Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) | Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager | Hinode | STEREO | TRACE | ACE | |
| Sample return: Genesis | |
| Future: Solar Dynamics Observatory | Solar Orbiter | |
| Cancelled: Pioneer H | |
| (Bold: Active missions) | |