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Clip on thruster units already exist, at least for geostationary orbit. The Mission Extension vehicle has flown twice, most recently in 2020. It operates by mechanically coupling to a suitable engine nozzle and is otherwise independent.
The challenges in using an off the shelf MEV for JWST is that the speed of light latency would force more autonomy on the ...
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Caveat: Most of my knowledge of such things comes from "word of mouth" discussions with my senior colleagues and their experiences with how things have changed in regards to funding and costs. So take that into account when reading the following.
Several years before I was hired (I was hired in September 2010), my boss was asked to draft up a ...
5
The speed is dropping, and it will continue to drop to almost zero.
The reason being that the telescope is currently moving away from the Earth, so Earth's gravity is pulling it back, slowing it down.
Spacecraft cruising are not under engine power, so they are entirely at the mercy of gravitational forces. Instead, spacecraft do their orbital changes in ...
answered Dec 29 '21 at 21:37
SE - stop firing the good guys
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4
According to the Project Mercury Second Interim Report,:
The retrocontroller panel displays the retrofiring times for normal reentry, end of each orbit, and emergency landing areas. These retrofiring times are calculated at the Goddard Computing Center.
The labels on the buttons in the lower right correspond to these times: "NORMAL REENTRY" on ...
3
OK ... So the MPS / SSME system was what I worked on a LOOOOONG time ago, feel free to ask questions. My only request for @Anton Hengst is can you get the Shuttle URL to the Endeavour Docents so that they have the information?:
https://aka.ms/space_shuttle
@leftaroundabout The color version:
https://gandalfddi.z19.web.core.windows.net/Shuttle/SSME_MPS_Info/...
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I found out today that in fact Nasa have built in refueling points onto the JWST in order to refuel should the need or want arrive. Via a "Robotic refueler" was the term used.
Not direct evidence, but this seems more likely after reading Ars Technica's All hail the Ariane 5 rocket, which doubled the Webb telescope’s lifetime
Because ten years ...
2
(An addition to answers posted already, from Is it possible to refuel the James Webb Space Telescope?):
A:
That depends on the JWST having its tanks/plumbing/ports accessible to a robot.
(from what I have seen, I think it is a no..)
IF it does then...yes-ish:
Northrop Grumman's MEV - Mission Extension Vehicles - have demonstrated the ability to physically ...
2
Found Saturn V full trajectory numerical data in tabular format:
Report No. 61291 - AS-506 "G" MANNED LUNAR LANDING MISSION POST-LAUNCH OPERATIONAL TRAJECTORY FOR JULY 16, 1969
Other full tables with numerical data for trajectories of all stages, up to CSM separation at 11723s:
Document D5-15560-6 - APOLLO/SATURN V POSTFLIGHT TRAJECTORY - AS-506
...
1
There has been extensive research on non-biological end effectors. There is an entire industry built around their utility to perform complex, critical jobs.
I’m referring to endoscopic surgical instruments. The range of complex procedures done endoscopically is astounding. None of the end effectors look like little hands. Instead, there is a wide range of ...
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