This is the second and final part of my review of 2014 in terms of spaceflight. It has been a monumental year, particularly in the last couple of months. This post will hopefully remind you of these events we were all privileged to witness this year!
12 Nov: Philae achieves first landing on comet
Rosetta took over a decade to reach comet 67P, but it was worth it! The probe inserted into the comet’s orbit on the 6 August, and from there took several stunning photos and began performing scientific operations.
The probe has achieved many firsts. Rosetta is the first spacecraft to orbit a comet nucleus, and is the first spacecraft to fly alongside a comet as it heads towards the inner Solar System. It is planned to be the first spacecraft to examine at close proximity how a frozen comet is transformed by the heat of the Sun.
What really grabbed worldwide attention was Philae, the small lander that aimed to gently touch down on the comet and collect scientific data. The landing of Philae on the 12 November didn’t go entirely to plan, but still achieved its goal of landing on the comet and performing its primary scientific objectives - even if it wasn’t quite the right way up! This was the first time soft landing on a comet had taken place.
It is hoped that at some point next year the Philae lander will reawaken when the Sun is in the view of the solar panels. Until then, Rosetta will continue to orbit the comet as it journeys every closer to the inner Solar System.
The probe has achieved many firsts. Rosetta is the first spacecraft to orbit a comet nucleus, and is the first spacecraft to fly alongside a comet as it heads towards the inner Solar System. It is planned to be the first spacecraft to examine at close proximity how a frozen comet is transformed by the heat of the Sun.
What really grabbed worldwide attention was Philae, the small lander that aimed to gently touch down on the comet and collect scientific data. The landing of Philae on the 12 November didn’t go entirely to plan, but still achieved its goal of landing on the comet and performing its primary scientific objectives - even if it wasn’t quite the right way up! This was the first time soft landing on a comet had taken place.
It is hoped that at some point next year the Philae lander will reawaken when the Sun is in the view of the solar panels. Until then, Rosetta will continue to orbit the comet as it journeys every closer to the inner Solar System.
5 Dec: Orion spacecraft passes first test with perfection
Although initially planned for September, the Orion spacecraft’s debut in the EFT-1 mission occurred on the 5 December. Launching from Cape Canaveral aboard a Delta IV Heavy rocket, the Orion capsule orbited the Earth twice, before reentering and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.
The mission went exactly as hoped. The launch was smooth, and travelling through the Van Allen belt produced no problems for the capsule. The capsule splashed down just 600 miles southwest of San Diego, very close to the position of the recovery crew.
The mission went exactly as hoped. The launch was smooth, and travelling through the Van Allen belt produced no problems for the capsule. The capsule splashed down just 600 miles southwest of San Diego, very close to the position of the recovery crew.
18 Dec: India’s GSLV-3 flies for the first time.
On the 18th December the maiden flight of India’s GSLV-3 took place. It was a historic launch for the India Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The launch aimed to test the atmospheric flight stability of the new rocket with around four tonnes of payload. However, this payload was no ordinary mass. Aboard the rocket was a 3800 kg unmanned crew capsule.
Although the capsule was just a mock-up, it is hoped that in the future Indian astronauts could be lifting off to LEO in it. What needs to happen now for this to become a reality is for the ISRO to be granted funding of $1.9 billion that it has requested from the Indian government.
Read my extended report on this mission HERE!
Although the capsule was just a mock-up, it is hoped that in the future Indian astronauts could be lifting off to LEO in it. What needs to happen now for this to become a reality is for the ISRO to be granted funding of $1.9 billion that it has requested from the Indian government.
Read my extended report on this mission HERE!
23 Dec: Angara A5 maiden launch.
The final important moment of 2014 was the maiden voyage of the Angara A5 rocket. The rocket delivered a payload mass simulator into geostationary orbit, proving its worth as a payload delivering rocket.
The launch was iconic is so much that it was the first Russian rocket that wasn’t designed in the Soviet era. Not only is it much safer, but it is also more efficient in delivering payloads to orbits. It is hoped that the Angara A5 will replace the aging Proton in the coming years ahead.
Read my extended report on this mission HERE!
The launch was iconic is so much that it was the first Russian rocket that wasn’t designed in the Soviet era. Not only is it much safer, but it is also more efficient in delivering payloads to orbits. It is hoped that the Angara A5 will replace the aging Proton in the coming years ahead.
Read my extended report on this mission HERE!