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WG3K   > ANS      08.04.24 00:57l 8 Lines 4052 Bytes #7 (0) @ AMSAT
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Subj: Satellite Shorts From All Over
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  NASA will launch three scientific-sounding rockets into the moon's shadow on April 8 during a partial solar eclipse across North America, coinciding with a total solar eclipse in certain areas. The project, named Atmospheric Perturbations Around The Eclipse Path (APEP), aims to investigate how the sudden drop in sunlight and temperature during the eclipse affects Earth's upper atmosphere. Named after the serpent deity from ancient Egyptian mythology, APEP will involve rockets launched from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. These rockets, equipped with secondary instruments, will measure changes in electric and magnetic fields, density, and temperature as they penetrate the ionosphere during the eclipse. Understanding these perturbations in the ionosphere is crucial for predicting disturbances that impact satellite communications and ensuring the smooth operation of our communication-dependent world. (ANS thanks Jamie Carter, Senior Contributor, Forbes, for the above information)

  The final launch of United Launch Alliance's Delta Heavy IV rocket is scheduled for April 9, marking the end of a 64-year legacy for the Delta family. The highly successful career of the Delta Heavy IV comes to a close as it launches a classified payload, NROL-70, on behalf of the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The NRO, responsible for the country's surveillance satellites, maintains secrecy about the specifics of its missions. This final launch aims to enhance the NRO's capabilities in providing intelligence to national decision-makers and supporting global humanitarian efforts. United Launch Alliance plans to retire both the Delta IV Heavy and the Atlas V to pave the way for its new Vulcan Centaur rocket, with the Atlas V scheduled for missions until 2029. The era of the Delta family concludes amidst a transition towards more advanced launch technologies and capabilities. (ANS thanks Brett Tingley, Managing Editor, Space.com, for the above information)

  Despite facing numerous challenges, including malfunctioning temperature sensors and unused battery cells, Japan's SLIM Moon lander has defied expectations by surviving a second lunar night, despite being in a precarious position with its thrusters pointed upward and solar arrays facing away from the Sun. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) received a signal from the lander indicating it had restarted after hibernating to avoid freezing temperatures on the Moon's surface. Initially forced to shut down due to insufficient electricity generation from its solar cells, SLIM has persisted against the odds, reviving itself twice since its landing on January 19. Although not designed to endure the Moon's harsh conditions, the lander has continued to function, prompting uncertainty about JAXA's future plans for the resilient spacecraft after it successfully achieved its primary mission goal of a precise lunar landing within a 328-foot radius. (ANS thanks Passant Rabie, Gizmodo, for the above information)

  China's Queqiao-2 satellite successfully launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on March 20th, reaching lunar orbit after a perilune braking maneuver near the Moon's surface on March 24th. Positioned to relay communications for future lunar missions, including Chang'e-4 and Chang'e-6, Queqiao-2's orbit will be adjusted to facilitate these missions and support China's ambitious lunar exploration program. Accompanying experimental satellites, Tiandu-1 and -2, also entered lunar orbit, conducting tests in communication and navigation. Queqiao-2's strategic orbit placement in the Moon's maria region holds significance for China's lunar exploration history, including past probe landings fifteen years ago on March 1, 2009. China's lunar missions, aiming to scout resources and establish a lunar base, signify a substantial endeavor parallel to NASA's Artemis Program, which plans to establish a sustained presence on the Moon with international collaboration. (ANS thanks Matt Williams, Universe Today, for the above information)


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