NASA and Boeing engineers successfully completed propellant loading during the seventh core stage Green Run test, wet dress rehearsal Sunday, Dec. 20. The massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s tanks were loaded with more than 700,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.
Engineers working in the Test Control Center monitored all core stage systems during the test as propellant flowed from six barges into the core stage in the B-2 Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. First looks at the data indicate the stage performed well during the propellant loading and replenish process. Part of the test was to simulate the countdown with the tanks loaded, leading up to 33 seconds prior to the engines firing. However, the test ended a few minutes short of the planned countdown duration.
The core stage and the B-2 test stand are in excellent condition, and it does not appear to be an issue with the hardware. The team is evaluating data to pinpoint the exact cause of the early shutdown. Then they will decide if they are ready to move forward with the final test, a hot fire when all four engines will be fired simultaneously.
NASA and Boeing engineers have powered up the Space Launch System rocket core stage to continue with the seventh test, wet dress rehearsal at the agency’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The NASA and Boeing team plan to fully load the stage’s liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks this week. This test demonstrates the ability to load the core stage with cryogenic propellant.
Following a partial loading of the tanks earlier this month, the team is now resuming the seventh of the eight tests in the Green Run series being completed with the Artemis I core stage. Upon completion of the wet dress rehearsal, the team will spend a few days analyzing data to determine if NASA is ready to proceed with the final Green Run test: the hot fire when all four engines will ignite simulating the countdown and launch of the Artemis I mission.
NASA will set a date for the hot fire after the wet dress rehearsal is complete. For an update at the conclusion of wet dress rehearsal, check back at this blog or visit the Green Run web site: https://www.nasa.gov/artemisprogram/greenrun
The Geminids are widely recognized as the best annual meteor shower a stargazer can see, occurring between Dec. 4 to Dec. 17. We will broadcast a live stream of the shower’s peak Dec. 14-15 (changed dates from 13-14 due to weather) from a meteor camera at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, (if our weather cooperates!) from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. CST on the NASA Meteor Watch Facebook page.
The parent of the Geminids is 3200 Phaethon, which is arguably considered to be either an asteroid or an extinct comet. When the Earth passes through trails of dust, or meteoroids, left by 3200 Phaethon, that dust burns up in Earth’s atmosphere, creating the Geminid meteor shower.
The Geminid rate will be even better this year, as the shower’s peak overlaps with a nearly new moon, so there will be darker skies and no moonlight to wash out the fainter meteors. That peak will happen on the night of Dec. 13 into the morning of Dec. 14, with some meteor activity visible in the days before and after. Viewing is good all night for the Northern Hemisphere, with activity peaking around 2:00 a.m. local time, and after midnight for viewers in the Southern Hemisphere.
Why are they called the Geminids?
All meteors associated with a shower have similar orbits, and they all appear to come from the same place in the sky, which is called the radiant. The Geminids appear to radiate from a point in the constellation Gemini, hence the name “Geminids.”
How fast are Geminids?
Geminids travel 78,000 mph (35 km/s). This is over 1000 times faster than a cheetah, about 250 times faster than the swiftest car in the world, and over 40 times faster than a speeding bullet!
An info graphic based on 2019’s meteor camera data for the Geminids. Credit: NASA
How to observe the Geminids?
If it’s not cloudy, get away from bright lights, lie on your back, and look up. Remember to let your eyes get adjusted to the dark – you’ll see more meteors that way. Keep in mind, this adjustment can take approximately 30 minutes. Don’t look at your cell phone screen, as it will ruin your night vision!
Meteors can generally be seen all over the sky. Avoid watching the radiant because meteors close to it have very short trails and are easily missed. When you see a meteor, try to trace it backwards. If you end up in the constellation Gemini, there’s a good chance you’ve seen a Geminid.
When is the best time to observe Geminids?
The best night to see the shower is Dec. 13/14. The shower will peak around 01:00 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). Sky watchers in the Northern Hemisphere can see Geminids starting around 7:30 – 8:00 p.m. local time on Dec. 13, with rate of meteors increasing as 2 a.m. approaches. In the Southern hemisphere, good rates will be seen between midnight and dawn local time on Dec. 14. Geminid watchers who observe from midnight to 4 a.m. should catch the most meteors.
How many Geminids can observers expect to see Dec. 13/14?
Realistically, the predicated rate for observers in the northern hemisphere is closer to 60 meteors per hour. This means you can expect to see an average of one Geminid per minute in dark skies at the shower peak. Observers in the southern hemisphere will see fewer Geminids than their northern hemisphere counterparts – perhaps 25% of rates in the northern hemisphere, depending on their latitude.
Where will NASA stream the Geminids meteor shower?
We will broadcast a live stream of the shower’s peak Dec. 13-14 from a meteor camera at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, (if our weather cooperates!) from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. CST on the NASA Meteor Watch Facebook page.
Meteor videos recorded by the All Sky Fireball Network are also available each morning to identify Geminids in these videos – just look for events labeled “GEM.”
The NASA.gov team was very happy today to learn that the Agency’s website has been nominated for the sixth time for the Webby for government sites. It’s always an honor when any group compliments the site, but we get really pumped when it comes to the People’s Voice Award.
NASA.gov’s 2010 People’s Voice Webby
The Internet community has awarded us five People’s Voice Awards, including four in a row from 2009 to 2012. We take that as a significant endorsement that we’re running NASA.gov effectively for its primary audience – you, the public. We’ve got various metrics, including traffic and customer-satisfaction data, that tell us we are generally, but a direct vote of confidence like this is even better.
NASA.gov represents the work of dozens of people across NASA, including content editors, infrastructure vendors and staff from our CIO office, Communications and all NASA offices and centers. Together we are a 24/7/365 news operation working to bring you news on all of NASA’s programs whenever it happens.
(Don’t believe me? Join the Marshall Space Flight Center for it’s Up All Night chat on next week’s lunar eclipse. The chat room opens at 1:45 a.m. EDT on April 15.)
Now you have the opportunity to speak your mind again, by voting in the 2014 People’s Voice Awards.
(You will have to create a user account and presumably allow a cookie or other tracking technology to be used, as the Webby organizers are trying to prevent multiple votes from any account.) Once you’re signed in, you can search for NASA or find us under the Web > Government category.
NASA.gov is up against other worthy sites, of course, including our federal-government colleagues at NOAA for climate.gov. All of the nominated sites reflect a lot of hard work on someone’s part, so give them a look and cast your vote for the one you think best represents government on the web. And whether you vote for us or not, thank you for your support over the years.
NASA EDGE addresses their experience at the recent ATK Ares I 1st Stage Motor Test in Promontory, UT.
PROMONTORY, UT (NASA EDGE Press) – It is true. The original test time for the Ares 1st Stage Motor Test was postponed approximately 20 seconds from firing on August 27, 2009. Obviously, many people who were in attendance at ATK to witness this amazing event were sad to miss this spectacular demonstration. It did, however, give the NASA EDGE Co-Host the opportunity to reflect on the importance of tests and data collection.
“We were poised to witness a two minute, intense rocket test that is ‘rumored’ to turn sand into glass,” said the perspiration covered NASA EDGE Co-Host. “Not getting an opportunity to collect some fresh glass souvenirs, certainly makes you stop and think.”
AKT, NASA Officials and even the NASA EDGE Host were eventually able to explain to the Co-Host how important safety and integrity of the data collected are to the success of a given test.The delay, while not a result of a safety concern, was made to insure that the necessary data would be measured at firing of the rocket motor.
“I get it.I really do,” rambled the Co-Host.“It is kind of like taking pictures with cameras without any film.You can get a lot of things right, but have nothing to analyze in the end.”
Clearly, the Co-Host’s comprehension needs work, but ATK, NASA and everyone involved in making the test a success is working toward rescheduling the test to insure that they will learn everything they can to make Ares I NASA’s next launch vehicle.
NASA EDGE addresses their experience at the recent ATK Ares I 1st Stage Motor Test in Promontory, UT.
PROMONTORY, UT (NASA EDGE Press) – It is true. The original test time for the Ares 1st Stage Motor Test was postponed approximately 20 seconds from firing on August 27, 2009. Obviously, many people who were in attendance at ATK to witness this amazing event were sad to miss this spectacular demonstration. It did, however, give the NASA EDGE Co-Host the opportunity to reflect on the importance of tests and data collection.
“We were poised to witness a two minute, intense rocket test that is ‘rumored’ to turn sand into glass,” said the perspiration covered NASA EDGE Co-Host. “Not getting an opportunity to collect some fresh glass souvenirs, certainly makes you stop and think.”
AKT, NASA Officials and even the NASA EDGE Host were eventually able to explain to the Co-Host how important safety and integrity of the data collected are to the success of a given test.The delay, while not a result of a safety concern, was made to insure that the necessary data would be measured at firing of the rocket motor.
“I get it.I really do,” rambled the Co-Host.“It is kind of like taking pictures with cameras without any film.You can get a lot of things right, but have nothing to analyze in the end.”
Clearly, the Co-Host’s comprehension needs work, but ATK, NASA and everyone involved in making the test a success is working toward rescheduling the test to insure that they will learn everything they can to make Ares I NASA’s next launch vehicle.
What a great mission so far for the crew of Atlantis. It’s been fun the past week watching John Grunsfeld, Drew Feustel, Mike Massimino, and Mike Good work on Hubble. It was also great to see the entire crew (including Scott “Scooter” Altman, Greg “Ray J” Johnson, and Megan McArthur) during the live press conference from space. The NASA EDGE team will never forget this mission because we had the chance to hang out with the crew, especially Drew Feustel and Mike Good. It started back in 2008 when we first met Drew during the Hot Laps event at Daytona International Speedway. NASA was celebrating its 50th anniversary and Daytona was celebrating the 50th running of the Daytona 500. We shot Drew for our “Last Mission to Hubble” vodcast. If you haven’t seen it, go to https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/podcasting/nasaedge/NE00_Last_Mission_Hubble.html.
Chris, Drew, and Blair change a tire at the Daytona Experience. Credit: NASA EDGE/Ron Beard
I still think the training in the above pic helped Drew muscle a tough bolt loose during EVA 1. A couple of weeks later we met Mike Good at the Daytona 500 race. We also shot him for the Hubble vodcast. Mike hung out with us all day and he had a chance to sign autographs.
Chris, Mike Good, and Ron pose for a picture along the track wall. Credit: NASA EDGE/Blair Allen
Mike actually signed the track wall and we have some good close-ups of it. In fact, we are convinced this was part of his training to actually sign his name on Hubble during his last EVA. Still waiting to hear from Mike if he did this.
We shot the rest of the crew at NASA Johnson Space Center. I don’t have a picture of it but Mike Massimino scared the daylights out of Blair. Imagine a 6’4″ broad shoulder guy standing in front of a 5’0″ red headed co-host (very intimidating). But seriously, we all had fun and the crew was very accomodating with our needs.
STS-125 Crew walk out. Credit: NASA EDGE/Chris Giersch
The crew walk out was really a huge deal for us because we heard Mike Good give us a shout out. In fact you can hear it on our latest NASA EDGE vodcast on STS-125. Download it today at https://www.nasa.gov/nasaedge.
STS-125 launch. Credit: NASA EDGE/Chris Giersch
The launch says it all. We have been very privileged to have worked with this fine crew and get the chance to spend some time with each of them. I know we’ve covered other shuttle missions in the past and probably will cover more in the future but I believe this will be a NASA EDGE favorite. This is our adopted crew and mission. They did it right and everyone should be proud of their accomplishments.
I do have one final wish. Scooter is responsible for “buzzing the tower” during the movie “Top Gun.” Will he buzz the tower or VAB one final time?
Congratulations to the STS-125 crew and have a safe reentry and landing on Friday.
What a great mission so far for the crew of Atlantis. It’s been fun the past week watching John Grunsfeld, Drew Feustel, Mike Massimino, and Mike Good work on Hubble. It was also great to see the entire crew (including Scott “Scooter” Altman, Greg “Ray J” Johnson, and Megan McArthur) during the live press conference from space. The NASA EDGE team will never forget this mission because we had the chance to hang out with the crew, especially Drew Feustel and Mike Good. It started back in 2008 when we first met Drew during the Hot Laps event at Daytona International Speedway. NASA was celebrating its 50th anniversary and Daytona was celebrating the 50th running of the Daytona 500. We shot Drew for our “Last Mission to Hubble” vodcast. If you haven’t seen it, go to https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/podcasting/nasaedge/NE00_Last_Mission_Hubble.html.
Chris, Drew, and Blair change a tire at the Daytona Experience. Credit: NASA EDGE/Ron Beard
I still think the training in the above pic helped Drew muscle a tough bolt loose during EVA 1. A couple of weeks later we met Mike Good at the Daytona 500 race. We also shot him for the Hubble vodcast. Mike hung out with us all day and he had a chance to sign autographs.
Chris, Mike Good, and Ron pose for a picture along the track wall. Credit: NASA EDGE/Blair Allen
Mike actually signed the track wall and we have some good close-ups of it. In fact, we are convinced this was part of his training to actually sign his name on Hubble during his last EVA. Still waiting to hear from Mike if he did this.
We shot the rest of the crew at NASA Johnson Space Center. I don’t have a picture of it but Mike Massimino scared the daylights out of Blair. Imagine a 6’4″ broad shoulder guy standing in front of a 5’0″ red headed co-host (very intimidating). But seriously, we all had fun and the crew was very accomodating with our needs.
STS-125 Crew walk out. Credit: NASA EDGE/Chris Giersch
The crew walk out was really a huge deal for us because we heard Mike Good give us a shout out. In fact you can hear it on our latest NASA EDGE vodcast on STS-125. Download it today at https://www.nasa.gov/nasaedge.
STS-125 launch. Credit: NASA EDGE/Chris Giersch
The launch says it all. We have been very privileged to have worked with this fine crew and get the chance to spend some time with each of them. I know we’ve covered other shuttle missions in the past and probably will cover more in the future but I believe this will be a NASA EDGE favorite. This is our adopted crew and mission. They did it right and everyone should be proud of their accomplishments.
I do have one final wish. Scooter is responsible for “buzzing the tower” during the movie “Top Gun.” Will he buzz the tower or VAB one final time?
Congratulations to the STS-125 crew and have a safe reentry and landing on Friday.
NASA EDGE releases a new vodcast on LRO and LCROSS
Here is a nice little piece of advice. Download the LRO/LCROSS vodcast (https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/podcasting/nasaedge/NE00_LRO_LCROSS.html), watch intently, save up some money, go buy a nice lawn chair, a good 10-12 inch telescope and invite over some friends for one of the coolest scientific events since JJ Abrams decided to make the prequel to the Star Trek TV series. My friends, witness LRO and LCROSS.
Of course, the LCROSS impact won’t happen for a few months, and by that time LRO will have plowed through many of its objectives. But what you might be able to see (I’m probably not correct about the specifics of my party preparation advice) is the impact plume of LCROSS’s Centaur module after it slams into the surface of the Moon. Ordinarily this kind of destructive behavior is limited to Mythbusters, but NASA stands to gain tons of scientific data that will help us understand more about our Moon. Perhaps we will bust a few myths in the process.
When you see the show, you’ll know a little bit more about what I mean. Be sure to check it out. Of course, if you have questions and comments, please leave them here. I’ll be checking. I’m trying to plan my own LRO/LCROSS impact party, and I could use a few good ideas.
