[ad_1]
More than half a century after being launched from our planet, the missile may have returned to Earth’s sphere of influence.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory announced Thursday that Earth has been hosting a temporary satellite in recent months. Its characteristics suggest that it is a rocket propeller, possibly a Centaur upper stage rocket, used in the 1960s to launch the Surveyor 2 probe on its mission to the moon.
The object is expected to get closer to Earth in December of this year.
Disposable rocket boosters can be launched more easily than their modern reusable counterparts. Engineering teams don’t have to worry about the recovery process or changing their designs. But they also mean wasting precious resources deep in space – if reused, they could save millions of dollars and reduce waste.
The Centaur booster is an example of the disposable approach. The booster was launched on September 20, 1966, sending the Surveyor 2 lunar lander to observe the surface of the Moon. The lander was unsuccessful, failed to fire one of its thrusters and crashed into the moon. The booster, which detached as expected, flew over the moon and drifted away into the solar system.
And 54 years later, he’s now back.
In September 2020, the Pan-STARRS1 sensing telescope in Maui detected an unknown object. Originally thought to be an asteroid, its orbit was unusual. It was eerily similar to that of Earth, and its trajectory also seemed to be affected more by sunlight, which would make sense if it were a larger, lower-density object.
After the team simulated the object’s trajectory over time, they realized it wasn’t an asteroid, in fact, it may have come from Earth about 54 years ago.
“One of the possible paths for 2020 SO brought the object very close to the Earth and the Moon in late September 1966,” CNEOS Director Paul Chodas said in a statement.
“It was like a eureka moment when a quick check of the launch dates for the lunar missions showed a match with the Surveyor 2 mission.”
The booster is the type of space leftover that may become less common over time, as the reusable rocket is a key target of the revamped and modern space race. Companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Rocket Lab are working on perfecting systems to allow them to send a payload like a satellite, then return the booster to Earth. SpaceX first launched its Falcon 9 in 2014 and Blue Origin in 2015.
The technology saves money – Musk estimated in 2013 that reuse saves about three-quarters of the total price – but it comes at a cost. Rockets must be designed for reuse and must save fuel to get home safely. While a Falcon 9 in 2016 could lift 8,300 kg (18,300 lbs) in geostationary transfer orbit in the disposable configuration, that figure drops to just 5,500 kg (12,100 lbs) in the reusable configuration.
As for Centaur, it is predicted that it will get closer to Earth on December 1, as it makes two large circles around the planet.
The Reverse analysis – This piece of space history is largely from its era, as modern companies develop reusable systems that would make them less common.
NASA is also working on its own large rocket for the new era, as it will conduct tests for its space launch system in the coming weeks. The rocket is set to support the Artemis I unmanned mission in 2021, a step towards a manned lunar mission in 2024.
Like the Centaur, the SLS boosters will be disposable. It’s also designed to one day support a mission to Mars, but with SpaceX developing the reusable spaceship destined for Mars as well, the reusable rocket could eventually win the day.
Source link
