Stardust Reminder

"During the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, January 15th, the Stardust sample
return capsule's entry will occur at approximately 2:57 am Mountain time.
Peak re-entry heating is expected to occur at an altitude of 61 km, (200,000
ft or 38 statute miles). The main heating-phase occurs over northern central
Nevada, somewhat west & south of the corresponding Genesis re-entry phase
(Figures 1 & 2). ....."

Complete info http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news104.html

I hope someone is able to get some good video and pics of the 30 seconds

re-entry, for us who can't be there.

Thanks.

Bruce Inkster wrote:
"During the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, January 15th, the Stardust sample
return capsule's entry will occur at approximately 2:57 am Mountain time.
Peak re-entry heating is expected to occur at an altitude of 61 km, (200,000
ft or 38 statute miles). The main heating-phase occurs over northern central
Nevada, somewhat west & south of the corresponding Genesis re-entry phase
(Figures 1 & 2). ....."

Complete info http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news104.html

I hope someone is able to get some good video and pics of the 30 seconds

re-entry, for us who can't be there.

Thanks.

Furthermore, the approach trajectory the evening before (early UT
hours of the 15th) is surprisingly close to radial for observers in
eastern North America, so the chances of picking the bus+capsule
out telescopically without very fast tracking seem pretty good.
I'll be having some students try it with a 16" telescope and CCD.
If we get anything, it will be linked from www.astr.ua.edu/Press.html.
The JPL Horizons ephemeris generator will, I've been told, update
the predictions after each of the final correction maneuvers.

Bill Keel

"William C. Keel" wrote:

Bruce Inkster wrote:

"During the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, January 15th, the Stardust sample
return capsule's entry will occur at approximately 2:57 am Mountain time.
Peak re-entry heating is expected to occur at an altitude of 61 km,
(200,000
ft or 38 statute miles). The main heating-phase occurs over northern
central
Nevada, somewhat west & south of the corresponding Genesis re-entry phase
(Figures 1 & 2). ....."

Complete info http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news104.html

Furthermore, the approach trajectory the evening before (early UT
hours of the 15th) is surprisingly close to radial for observers in
eastern North America, so the chances of picking the bus+capsule
out telescopically without very fast tracking seem pretty good.
I'll be having some students try it with a 16" telescope and CCD.
If we get anything, it will be linked from www.astr.ua.edu/Press.html.
The JPL Horizons ephemeris generator will, I've been told, update
the predictions after each of the final correction maneuvers.

This site

http://reentry.arc.nasa.gov/viewingforum.html

will generate an ephemeris table for spotting the capsule and main bus
on the nights before the landing, along with other information about
visibility.

Does anyone know if the spacecraft bus will re-enter or continue in solar
orbit?

--Bill Thompson

Now I know why I saw a DC-8 on final to Moffett Field a couple of
nights ago. It was the Stardust entry observing team returning from
a test flight.

Observing conditions for the reentry are not likely to be good here
in Sunnyvale; the spacecraft will only be about 10-15 degs. elevation,
and anyway, it's probably going to be cloudy this weekend. But I may
stay up late Saturday night and watch the festivities on NASA TV.


Patty

"William R Thompson" wrote in message
ink.net...

Does anyone know if the spacecraft bus will re-enter or continue in solar
orbit?

This was just posted to sci.space.news by Ron Baalke:

"On Jan. 15 at 12:56 am EST
the Stardust spacecraft will complete the sequence by severing the
umbilical cables between spacecraft and capsule. One minute later,
springs aboard the spacecraft will literally push the capsule away.
Fifteen minutes after release - while the sample return capsule
continues its trajectory towards the Utah Test and Training Range,
the Stardust spacecraft will perform a maneuver to place it in orbit
around the Sun."

People in the eastern US might ave a chance to spot the carrier
in the pre-dawn skies.

--Bill Thompson