Europa, Titan, & other deep space sites, Gas giants Saturn, Jupiter, et al, Space Systems

Video: A 360-degree view of Cassini diving between Saturn and the rings

This interactive video from NASA JPL allows you to scan Saturn and the rings as the Cassini spacecraft makes one of its dives between the two before the Grand Finale in September.

Dive between Saturn and its rings with NASA’s Cassini spacecraft in the final chapter of its mission. In this 360-degree video, you are traveling along with the spacecraft at tens of thousands of miles per hour as it makes one of 22 planned dives through this unexplored gap. The first dive of Cassini’s Grand Finale takes place on April 26, 2017, with additional dives about once a week. 

Key Dates
  • April 22: Titan 126 Flyby at 6:08 a.m. UTC (11:08 p.m. PDT on April 21)
  • April 23: First Grand Finale Orbit Begins at 3:46 a.m. UTC (8:46 p.m. PDT on April 22)
  • April 26: First Ringplane Crossing at 9 a.m. UTC (2 a.m. PDT)
  • May 24: Northern Summer Solstice Begins
  • Sept. 15: Cassini’s Final Entry into Saturn’s Atmosphere begins at 10:44 a.m. UTC (3:44 a.m. PDT). Spacecraft loss of signal comes one minute later at 10:45 a.m. UTC (3:45 a.m. PDT).
  • Sept. 15: Final signal received on Earth at 12:08 p.m. UTC (5:08 a.m. PDT)

See also these other recent Cassini posts:

Here is a view of Earth and the Moon as seen recently by Cassini through the rings: NASA Image Shows Earth Between the Rings of Saturn | NASA

This cropped, zoomed-in version of the image makes it easier to see Earth’s moon — a smaller, fainter dot to the left of our planet’s bright dot. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute Full image and caption

Here is a new video of Saturn’s hexagon north pole using Cassini images: Cassini: Mission to Saturn: Saturn’s Hexagon in Motion

North pole of Saturn made from Cassini images. Different wavelengths of light from ultraviolet to visible to infrared have been assigned colors.

The gray scale version:

The black and white version.

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Science and Technology

Sci-Tech: Uber unveils electric VTOL flying taxi service to start in 2020

And now Uber unveils its prototype electric vertical takoff and and landing (eVTOL) vehicle for a flying taxi service that it will begin testing in Dallas and Dubai in 2020. The vehicle is being developed in partnership with Aurora Flight Sciences, Bell Helicopter, and Embraer.

Announcements from the companies:


First flight of Aurora’s eVTOL aircraft on April 20, 2017.
(PRNewsfoto/Aurora Flight Sciences)

From the Aurora release:

Aurora’s eVTOL concept is derived from its XV-24A X-plane program currently underway for the U.S. Department of Defense and other autonomous aircraft the company has developed over the years.  Aurora has adapted and combined the autonomous flight guidance system from its Centaur optionally-piloted aircraft, the perception and collision avoidance system from the AACUS program, and the battery electric propulsion system from the XV-24A demonstrator to create the innovative eVTOL design.

“The Uber Elevate mission is all about low noise, high reliability, and low cost,” said Aurora CEO John Langford. “By drawing on our nearly 30 years of successful autonomy and robotic programs, Aurora is well positioned to deliver on this urban solution. We have already built and flown the first proof-of-concept aircraft and we’re excited to partner with Uber in accelerating the eVTOL initiative.”

The partnership agreement provides the basis for a system of urban transportation solutions that will enable users of the Uber Elevate Network to request an Aurora eVTOL aircraft via Uber’s computer or mobile software applications. With the successful first test flight of the aircraft on April 20, 2017, the goal of delivering 50 aircraft for testing by 2020 is well within reach.

Bell Helicopter background overview:

Uber will be working with Bell Helicopter as a collaborator to accelerate the eventual large-scale deployment of electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (VTOLs) in order to fulfill its mission ofproviding a safe, reliable transportation service to everyone, everywhere.

Additional details include

 ● Uber plans to operate a network through which electric VTOL vehicles in numerous cities worldwide will provide transportation and delivery logistics services.

● Bell Helicopter plans to develop technologies that will lead to aircraft that satisfy short distance urban operations. Bell’s initial propulsion technology focus is expected to be hybrid electric with an eventual goal of fully electric.

● Uber will participate in the development of airspace control software and hardware for themanagement of Pilot VTOLs on the Elevate Network, and provide interface connectivity with airspace controllers/regulators.

● Bell Helicopter is an industry-leading producer of commercial and military, manned and unmanned vertical-lift aircraft and the pioneer of the revolutionary tiltrotor aircraft. Among otherprojects, Bell is exploring new opportunities in the future of air transportation with electric and hybrid VTOL aircraft.

A sample of articles:

Update: Here is a video of the Uber Elevate Summit conference presentations and panel discussions:

Eyes in the Sky, Living in Space, Multiple media

Thomas Pesquet’s marvelous photos of earth

French astronaut Thomas Pesquet has worked on the International Space Station as an ESA member of the crew since last November. His six month mission will end in May. During his stay in space he has carried out multiple spacewalks and performed many science experiments. He also has taken lots of great snapshots and videos of the earth. Check out the sample below and the links to more:

Eye of Africa

Thunderstorm on the horizon

Blue

Brown Moon

Saloum Delta

Spain

Cyclone

Made some new friends..

 

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Science and Technology

Sci-Tech: Kitty Hawk VTOL ultralight takes off

Yet another multicopter-style flying vehicle takes to the air – this time a single person water landing craft funded by Google co-founder and billionaire Larry Page: Flying car? Kitty Hawk’s first prototype looks more like a flying raft – Alan Boyle/Geekwire

See the Kitty Hawk fly in this video:

Activism, Space Policy, SpaceCasts

The Space Show this week – April.24.2017

The guests and topics of discussion on The Space Show this week:

1. Monday, April 24, 2017: 2-3:30 pm PDT (5-6:30 pm EDT, 4-5:30 pm CDT): Robert Walker from the UK returns to discuss his latest article, “Why I Wouldn’t Fly With SpaceX To The Moon As Soon As 2018 – If They Paid Me A Billion Dollars?” … Time permitting, Robert wants to discuss some of his additional work.

2. Tuesday, April 25, 2017: 7-8:30 pm PDT, 10-11:30 pm EDT, 9-10:30 pm CDT: Bob Zimmerman is back with us for updates and news regarding commercial and science space.

3. Wednesday, April 26 2016: Pre-recorded with John Batchelor; HOTEL MARS with Laura Montgomery. Our topic is The Outer Space Treaty and property rights. As soon as John archives & plays the program on his website, it will be archived on The Space Show site.

4. Friday, April 28 2016: 9:30-11 am PDT, 12:30-2 pm EDT, 11:30 am -1 pm CDT: We welcome back Dr. Bruce Cordell to discuss the first 100 days of space policy with the Trump Administration in the context of Dr. Cordell predicting a Maslow Window.

5. Sunday, April 30, 2017: 12-1:30 pm DST (3-4:30 pm EDT, 2-3:30 vCDT): We welcome back Marcia Smith who will be discussing the newly proposed NASA budget.

See also:
* The Space Show on Vimeo – webinar videos
* The Space Show’s Blog – summaries of interviews.
* The Space Show Classroom Blog – tutorial programs

The Space Show is a project of the One Giant Leap Foundation.

The Space Show - David Livingston
David Livingston

Everyone can participate in space