Feed aggregator
Ariane 6 tests towards first flight
Europe’s next rocket, Ariane 6, passed all its qualification tests in preparation for its first flight, and the full-scale test model has been removed from the launch pad to make way for the real rocket that will ascend to space.
The test model at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, stood 62 m high. It is exactly the same as the ‘production model’ Ariane 6 rockets that will soon be launched, except that its boosters do not need to be tested as part of the complete rocket, so the boosters are not fuelled.
Teams preparing Ariane 6 for its inaugural flight successfully completed for the first time a launcher preparation and countdown sequence, on 18 July. Representatives of ESA, Ariane 6 prime contractor ArianeGroup and launch base prime contractor and test conductor CNES completed important objectives for system qualification and performed a series of actions fully representative of a launch chronology.
The launch simulation included the removal of the mobile gantry, the chill-down of ground and launcher fluidic systems, the filling of the upper and core stage tanks with liquid hydrogen (–253°C) and liquid oxygen (–183°C), and at the end of the test, the successful completion of a launch chronology up to the ignition of the Vulcain 2.1 engine thrust chamber by the ground system.
On 5 September 2023 the Vulcain 2.1 engine was ignited, fired for four seconds as planned and switched off before its liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen fuels were drained to their separate underground tanks. The exercise showed again that the system can be kept safe in the event of a launch abort, as already demonstrated during the 18 July test.
A nighttime full-scale wet rehearsal for Ariane 6 was completed on 24 October 2023, the rocket was fuelled and then drained of its fuel. The test lasted over 30 hours with three teams working in shifts of 10 hours each.
A major full-scale rehearsal was conducted on 23 November 2023 in preparation for its first flight, when teams on the ground went through a complete launch countdown followed by a seven-minute full firing of the core stage’s engine, as it would fire on a launch into space.
A third combined test loading occurred on 15 December 2024 that included a launch countdown to qualify the launch system in degraded conditions and ensure its robustness in preparation for operations. This test sequence included qualification tests of several launch system functions in case of aborted launch and included one ignition of the Vulcain 2.1 engine thrust chamber. It was the fifth countdown run to include loading Ariane 6 with cryo-propellants since July.
On 30 January 2024, the cryogenic connection system passed a last system test of the liftoff disconnection operations lines – the yellow arms supporting the fuel lines to the upper stage to power the Vinci orbital engine. Simultaneously at the bottom of the central core the connection system for the main stage also disconnected.
On 5 February, it was the turn of the electrical umbilical lines to be disconnected. These lines supply the launcher and the satellites inside Ariane 6 with electrical power but also host the digital signals for communications with the informatics system as well as carrying sensor information to ensure the flight system is in good shape for liftoff.
The largest components for the first flight model of Europe’s new rocket Ariane 6 arrived at the port of Pariacabo in Kourou, French Guiana on 21 February 2024 via the novel ship, Canopée (canopy in French). The Ariane 6 stages and components are all manufactured across Europe.
The two central stages for Ariane 6’s first flight were then assembled in the launcher assembly building (BAL) at Europe’s Spaceport. The core stage and the upper stage for Europe’s new rocket Ariane 6 are set to fly in the Summer of 2024. Once assembled, the stages will be transferred to the launch pad.
Where to Watch the Total Solar Eclipse Online
Watch the total solar eclipse — alongside interviews with scientists and astronauts — with these livestreams.
The post Where to Watch the Total Solar Eclipse Online appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
IVF Treatment in the U.S. May Be at Risk, Scientists Warn
An Alabama court ruling that human embryos outside the uterus should be regarded as children has raised concerns among doctors and scientists about the future of the fertility treatment in vitro fertilization
Solar Eclipse Will Reveal Stunning Corona, Scientists Predict
Predicting what the sun will look like during a total solar eclipse is a helpful exercise for scientists in the long quest to understand how our star works
My Synesthesia Transforms Speech into Text I ‘See’ in My Head
From the time I learned to read, I have experienced a form of mental closed-captioning called ticker-tape synesthesia
Marine protected areas aren't helping fish populations recover
All eyes on the Arctic Weather Satellite
ESA’s new Arctic Weather Satellite has taken centre stage at OHB’s facilities in Stockholm, Sweden, before the spacecraft is packed up and shipped to California, US, for a launch currently scheduled for June.
Embracing the New Space approach to demonstrate new concepts in a cost-effective and timely manner, the Arctic Weather Satellite has been designed to show how it can improve weather forecasts in the Arctic.
Episode 1 – Scouting the Red Planet
Watch the first episode of the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission – Europe’s ambitious exploration journey to search for past and present signs of life on Mars.
This episode starts after a successful descent and landing on the Red Planet in 2030.
Rovers on Mars have previously been caught in loose soils, and turning the wheels dug them deeper, just like a car stuck in sand. To avoid this, Rosalind Franklin has a unique wheel-walking locomotion mode to to overcome difficult terrains, as well as autonomous navigation software.
A major goal of the mission is to understand the geological context and identify minerals formed in the presence of water that could be good targets for drilling into and collecting samples for analysis.
The scientific eyes of the rover are set atop the mast on the Panoramic Camera suite, known as PanCam. From its vantage point about two metres above the ground, PanCam cameras come into play to get a whole picture of the site with high resolution imaging.
Enfys, meaning rainbow in Welsh, is an infrared spectrometer to study mineral composition. Enfys and PanCam work in synergy. PanCam is used to obtain colour, visual information of what lies around the rover. Enfys’ job is to inform scientists what the minerals are.
Rosalind Franklin will be the first rover to reach a depth of up to two metres deep below the surface, acquiring samples that have been protected from surface radiation and extreme temperatures.
The mission will serve to demonstrate key technologies that Europe needs to master for future planetary exploration missions.
This episode shows the spacecraft, the rover and martian landscapes are as true to reality as possible for a simulation.
Check ESA’s ExoMars website and our frequently asked questions for the latest updates.
Credits:
Production: Mlabspace for ESA
3D animation: ESA/Mlabspace
Video footage: ESA/NASA, Shutterstock
Music composed by Valentin Joudrier
Solar Orbiter to watch for eruptions during total eclipse
On 8 April 2024, a great swath of the United States and Mexico will experience a total solar eclipse, with viewers getting the rare chance to see the Sun’s stunning outer atmosphere.
The Latest Weather Forecast along the Total Solar Eclipse Path
From cloud coverage to clear skies, here’s up-to-date weather conditions expected along the path of April 8’s total solar eclipse
A Rare Greenhouse Gas Comes from—Termite Pesticide?
As much as 85 percent of U.S. emissions of sulfuryl fluoride—a rare greenhouse gas and common pesticide used to treat termites—comes from California
What We Know about Taiwan’s Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake
An earthquake scientist discusses what we know about Taiwan’s magnitude 7. quake so far and what may happen next
Why Kate Middleton and Other Cancer Patients Require More Than One Treatment
Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, announced she had cancer last month. Many cancer patients undergo surgery, chemotherapy and other treatments in combination