Mercury mission clears key hurdle Nov 19, 2009
Flying in a polar orbit, it will study Mercury for at least a year, imaging the planet's surface, generating height profiles, and collecting data on Mercury's composition and wispy atmosphere. The US Messenger probe is currently returning remarkable imagery. (BBC News)
Bird's-Eye View of Tranquility Base Nov 15, 2009
For example, the spacecraft's low polar orbit should allow its cameras to record the entire globe with 100-meter resolution and up to 10% of the surface with unprecedented 0. 5-meter resolution good enough to spot hazardous boulders in likely landing sites. (SkyAndTelescope.com)
More territory revealed on Mercury Nov 7, 2009
Despite a brief power glitch during the flyby, MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging) collected high resolution images of a further six percent of never before seen terrain, bringing the total to some 98 percent, and leaving only the extreme polar regions to be observed once MESSENGER enters a polar orbit around the planet in 2011. Although the area viewed for the first time by spacecraft was less than 350 miles across at the equator, the new images reminded us... (Astronomy Now Online)
A happy homecoming in Lemoore Oct 21, 2009
The Atlas 5 lifted off at 9:12 a.m. Sunday with a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program payload intended for polar orbit more than 510 miles (830 kilometers) high. The DMSP satellites provide global environmental information to the Defense Department and other government agencies. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Defense weather satellite launched Oct 19, 2009
A high-resolution commercial Earth-imaging satellite was launched into polar orbit Thursday ... A high-resolution commercial Earth-imaging satellite was launched into polar orbit Thursday ... The Atlas 5 lifted off at 9:12 a.m. Sunday with a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program payload intended for polar orbit more than 510 miles (830 kilometers) high. (Fresno Bee -- State)
LCROSS Hit — But Was Anything Seen? Oct 11, 2009
Palomar Observatory Update (October 10th): During the LCROSS impacts, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) was nearly overhead in its polar orbit, coming within 48 miles (76 km) of ground zero. So far two of LRO's instruments have. (SkyAndTelescope.com)
Earth imaging satellite launched from California Oct 9, 2009
A high-resolution commercial Earth-imaging satellite was launched into polar orbit Thursday ... -- A high-resolution commercial Earth-imaging satellite was launched into polar orbit Thursday. (Fresno Bee -- Business)
Arctic dips as global waters rise Sep 15, 2009
The European Space Agency's (Esa) ERS-2 satellite has been making observations of the Earth from its 800km-high polar orbit for over 10 years ... Launched April 1995; works alongside Esa's lead Earth observing platform, Envisat Equipped with two specialised radars, infrared imaging sensor, and ozone monitor Spacecraft flies 800km-high polar orbit; covers entire globe in just three days Wealth of data on ice cover, surface winds, vegetation, trace gases, earth movement, etc. (BBC News -- Science)
In Hot Water: World Ocean Temps Set Record Aug 21, 2009
1979 was also the launch of the first polar orbit satellites that can actually monitor sea surface temeperatures (and arctic ice) properly. and they don't show any signs of ocean warming. (CBS News)
GSFC We're at the Moon Celebration Jul 30, 2009
LRO will spend at least one year in low polar orbit around the moon, collecting detailed information at the lunar surface. The LRO objectives are to scout for safe landing sites, locate potential resources, characterize the radiation environment, and demonstrate new technology. (NASA Watch)
All S&T News Blogs Jul 5, 2009
Contributor Guidelines. Advertising Information. (SkyAndTelescope.com)
Mars Express Doing Fine as Hunt for Beagle 2 Continues Jul 5, 2009
In the coming days, controllers must change the orbit of Mars Express from a high elliptical one around the equator to a lower polar orbit that will let it establish contact with Beagle. Pillinger said the mother ship could offer the best hope of reaching Beagle as, unlike Odyssey and the Jodrell telescope, its communications were specifically designed to hear the probe's transmissions. (Space.com)
Orbiter snaps its first shots of moon Jul 3, 2009
LRO started in an elliptical polar orbit that has brought it as close as 19 miles from the moon's south pole. It's expected to settle into a circular polar orbit 31 miles above the lunar surface next month. (Florida Today)
NASA Moon Impactor Successfully Completes Lunar Maneuver Jun 25, 2009
LCROSS and its attached Centaur upper stage rocket are now in a long, looping polar orbit around Earth and the moon. Each orbit will be roughly perpendicular to the moon's orbit around Earth and take about 37 days to complete. (Science Daily)
NASA's Unmanned Probe Arrives at the Moon Jun 24, 2009
The spacecraft and an attached empty Centaur rocket stage will fly by the moon and shift into a polar orbit that will ultimately end in an Oct. 9 crash into a shadowed crater at the moon's south pole to probe for hidden water ice. NASA plans to release live video from LCROSS as it flies past the moon at a distance of about 5,592 miles (9,000 km), mission managers have said. (Fox News)
Moon orbiter begins making its rounds Jun 24, 2009
The spacecraft and an attached empty Centaur rocket stage flew by the moon and shifted into a polar orbit that will ultimately end in an Oct. 9 crash into a shadowed crater at the moon's south pole. The debris thrown up by the crash will be analyzed for signs of hidden water ice. (MSNBC -- Technology)
NASA orbiter on way to explore the moon Jun 20, 2009
It will then spend at least a year in a low polar orbit around the moon, eventually orbiting about 50 kilometers (31 miles) above its surface, NASA said. Don't Miss. (CNN -- Tech)
Lift off for Nasa's lunar probes Jun 19, 2009
LRO will enter a low polar orbit around the Moon at an altitude of around 50km (31 miles) - the closest any spacecraft has continually orbited Earth's natural satellite. It will spend at least one year orbiting the Moon, using its six instruments to collect detailed information about the lunar environment. (BBC News -- Science)
> read more Jun 19, 2009
Five days from now both will swing close past the Moon; LRO will take up a looping polar orbit that will gradually tighten in the weeks ahead. Meanwhile, the Centaur and still-attached LCROSS, an acronym for Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, will take up a far larger orbit with a period of about 37 days. (SkyAndTelescope.com)
NASA Successfully Launches Lunar Impactor Jun 19, 2009
The 1,290-pound LCROSS and 5,216-pound Centaur upper stage will perform a swing-by maneuver of the moon around 6 a.m. on June 23 to calibrate the satellite's science instruments and enter a long, looping polar orbit around Earth and the moon. Each orbit will be roughly perpendicular to the moon's orbit around Earth and take about 37 days to complete. (Science Daily)
U.S. Shoots for the Moon, This Time to Stay Jun 18, 2009
What's more, since the LRO will be in a polar orbit instead of an equatorial one or, vertical rather than horizontal the moon's 28-day rotation will eventually carry virtually every spot on the surface beneath the camera's lens. "The moon will essentially walk around underneath the orbiter," says Garvin. (Time.com)
NASA prepares for LRO's Thursday launch Jun 18, 2009
The LRO is scheduled for a one-year exploration mission at a polar orbit of about 31 miles, or 50 kilometers, the closest any spacecraft has orbited the moon. Its primary objective is to conduct investigations to prepare for future explorations of the moon. (Xinhuanet, China)
NASA Return to Lunar Orbit Will Scout for Future Human Exploration Jun 16, 2009
The satellite's polar orbit will allow it to focus on especially desirable regions for human activities. At the moon's poles, Keller explains, the fairly consistent low angle of the sun makes available essentially constant access to solar power and, potentially, stores of water frozen in permanently shadowed craters. (Scientific American)
NASA sets new launch dates for space shuttle, LRO and LCROSS Jun 16, 2009
The LRO is scheduled for a one-year exploration mission at a polar orbit of about 31 miles, or 50 kilometers, the closest any spacecraft has orbited the moon. The primary objective of the LRO is to conduct investigations to prepare for future explorations of the moon. (Xinhuanet, China)
Gates says cuts won't leave Alaska vulnerable Jun 2, 2009
Though originally built to launch commercial satellites into polar orbit, the facility's location has proved valuable in simulating missile launches from Korea for interceptor test launches from Vandenberg. Officials also plan to launch interceptors from Kodiak. (Anchorage Daily News)
SpaceX snags 2 more launches at Cape Apr 17, 2009
Sun synchronous = polar orbit. Anonymous said. (Florida Today)
* 'God's donkey' Apr 12, 2009
He will try again, attaching it to another satellite with a polar orbit, so the whole world can spin under a piece of his cross. Hes not yet through wandering around the world with wood. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Europe Launches First Earth Explorer Mission Goce Mar 18, 2009
About 90 minutes later, after one orbital revolution and two Breeze-KM upper-stage burns, the 1052 kg spacecraft was successfully released into a circular polar orbit at 280 km altitude with 96. 7. (Science Daily)
IIT students plan nano satellite Feb 28, 2009
The launch is intended at putting the nano-satellite in the polar orbit, ie, at 700 to 800 km from earth, he added. The polar orbit is an orbit in which a satellite travels from north-tosouth direction and passes above or nearly above both the poles of the earth ... Polar orbit is normally used for purposes like earth mapping, earth observation and reconnaissance. (India Times)
Last year's U.S. satellite debris gone from space Feb 28, 2009
The Chinese satellite had been in polar orbit at an altitude of about 537 miles. Since it was higher up, it will take longer for the debris to re-enter the earth's atmosphere. (MSNBC -- Technology)
$433 million satellite lost at sea Feb 25, 2009
The 450-kilogram satellite was supposed to be placed into a polar orbit some 640-kilometres high. The project was nine years in the making, and the mission was supposed to last two years. (The Age, Australia -- World)
Greenhouse gas satellite fails launch Feb 25, 2009
The 450-kilogram satellite was supposed to be placed into a polar orbit some 643 kilometres high. The project was nine years in the making, and the mission was supposed to last two years. (Globe and Mail)
Collision puts new Asian satellites at risk Feb 24, 2009
However, while he talked about how these weather satellites could help China "to prevent and mitigate disasters and adapt to climate change", he did not comment on the fact that these new polar orbiting Chinese meteorology satellites are now at a somewhat greater risk of a collision with space debris ... The SMMS is in a sun-synchronous polar orbit at an altitude of 650 kilometers. (Asia Times Online)
NASA's New Satellite Aims to Solve a Climate Change Mystery Feb 24, 2009
It will take three measurements per second from its polar orbit, which allows it to circle Earth from pole to pole as the planet rotates beneath it, thereby allowing coverage of the whole globe. NASA expects the satellite to perform some eight million such measurements every 16 days, an avalanche of CO2 data that will roll over researchers for at least the next two years. (Scientific American)
Spacecraft seek climate clarity Feb 24, 2009
They have been put in a 705km (438 miles) circular, sun-synchronous polar orbit, where they will fly in formation just 15 seconds apart. The spacecraft are part of an Earth-observation constellation Nasa calls the "A-Train". (BBC News -- Science)
Cosmic Collision Over Siberia Feb 17, 2009
Some collisions between fragments in these two locations will undoubtedly ensue, but the real problem is that these locations are also so near the most densely-populated spots where literally thousands of satellites and boosters ply near-polar orbits ... We may easily knock off our ability to become a truly spacefaring civilization - just because we sent so much junk into polar orbit to satisfy cell-phone users (the current Iridium system serves only about 300,000 paying customers) and military... (SkyAndTelescope.com)
Lunar Spacecraft Shipped to Cape Feb 13, 2009
"LRO will spend at least one year in a low polar orbit on its primary exploration mission, with the possibility of three more years to collect additional detailed scientific information about the moon and its environment," NASA said. The orbiter will carry seven instruments to provide scientists with detailed maps of the lunar surface and information as to the moon's lighting conditions, mineralogical composition and natural resources. (SkyAndTelescope.com)
Compare options for new moon rocket Feb 10, 2009
IMAGE NOTE: Click to enlarge the image above, showing lights shining on the Delta II rocket that will carry the NOAA-N Prime spacecraft into polar orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Photo credit: NASA TV.. (Florida Today)
Plans for UK satellite launcher Feb 7, 2009
SSTL envisages a vehicle capable of taking at least 50kg of payload into a polar orbit with a minimum altitude of 400km (248 miles), but engineers would aim to get significant additional performance. "We'd be looking at a range from 50 to up to a maximum of 200kg because you'd want to do different sizes of satellite," said Mr Whitehorn. (BBC News -- Technology)
