 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
SMART-1 Ion Engine Fired Successfully
Paris (ESA) Oct 01, 2003 SMART-1's revolutionary propulsion system was successfully fired at 12:25 UT on 30 September, 2003, in orbit around the Earth. Engineers at ESOC, the European Space Agency's control centre in Darmstadt, Germany, sent a command to begin the firing test, which lasted for one hour. This was similar to a trial performed on Earth before SMART-1 was launched. Several months ago, the ion engine, or Solar Electric Primary Propulsion (SEPP) system, had been placed in a vacuum chamber on the ground and its functions and operation were measured. Now in space and in a true vacuum, the ion engine actually worked better than in the test on ground and has nudged SMART-1 a little closer to the Moon. This is the first time that Europe flies an electric primary propulsion in space, and also the first European use of this particular type of ion engine, called a 'Hall-effect' thruster. The SEPP consists of a single ion engine fuelled by xenon gas and powered by solar energy. The ion engine will accelerate SMART-1 very gradually to cause the spacecraft to travel in a series of spiralling orbits - each revolution slightly further away from the Earth - towards the Moon. Once captured by the Moon's gravity, SMART-1 will move into ever-closer orbits of the Moon. As part of one of the overall mission objectives to test this new SEPP technology, the data will now be analysed to see how much acceleration was achieved and how smoothly the spacecraft travelled. If the ion engine is performing to expectations, ESA engineers will regularly power up the SEPP to send SMART-1 on its way.
SMART-1 Status Report The spacecraft automatic activation went perfectly, including the opening of the solar panels and its orientation towards the Sun in Safe mode. Right thereafter, the flight control team requested the spacecraft to send data at 'high rate' so that all possible information could be received on the ground for further analysis. Next the commissioning of the spacecraft subsystems were started. The commissioning was performed to verify that the system was working properly and to tune some parameters that needed to be adjusted to orbit conditions. A small correction was also needed in the way the software handles the so-called Single Event Upsets, generated by the radiation environment into the Random Access Memory. Monday 29 September at 15:30 UTC the pre-commissioning of the first scientific instrument was completed: D-CIXS. The instrument PI team received and analysed calibration data and found them nominal. The scheduled commissioning phase will be continued. The Electric Propulsion activation and commissioning will probably start as planned on Tuesday 30 September. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Smart-1 Mission Site SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com Lunar Dreams and more
SMART 1 Uses New Imaging Technique In Lunar Orbit
Paris, France (ESA) Dec 28, 2005ESA's SMART-1 spacecraft has been surveying the Moon's surface in visible and near-infrared light using a new technique, never before tried in lunar orbit. |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
