Juno

Juno is the name of a new spacecraft which has been sent to the space to conduct an in depth study of Jupiter, the massive planet in our solar system.

Things to know about Juno

              ·        Spacecraft launched August 5, 2011

                   ·       Five-year cruise to Jupiter, arriving in July 2016

                   ·        Spacecraft will orbit Jupiter for about one  year

                              (33 orbits)

                   ·        Mission ends with de-orbit into Jupiter  

Juno will improve our understanding of our solar system’s beginnings by revealing the origin and evolution of Jupiter. 

Specifically, Juno will…

·         Determine how much water is in Jupiter’s atmosphere, which helps determine which planet formation theory is correct(or if new theories are needed)

·         Look deep into Jupiter’s atmosphere to measure composition, temperature, cloud motions and other properties

·         Map Jupiter’s magnetic and gravity fields, revealing the planet’s deep structure

·         Explore and study Jupiter’s magnetosphere near the planet’s poles, especially the auroras(Jupiter’s northern and southern lights) providing new insights about how the planet’s enormous magnetic force field affects its atmosphere.

Engineers have received communications from the Juno spacecraft, and its solar arrays have deployed. 

 NASA's Juno spacecraft has successfully separated from the Centaur upper stage of its Atlas V rocket. It is on its way to Jupiter. 

 The rocket nose cone, or fairing, carrying NASA's Juno spacecraft has been jettisoned as planned. 

 NASA's Juno spacecraft, headed to Jupiter, has lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Fla. aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.

Here is a timeline of expected launch milestones:

Launch 
Right after launch, the rocket will be airborne, carrying Juno up and over the Atlantic Ocean.

Solid rocket motors jettisoned -- occurs at about launch plus 106 seconds 
The five solid rocket motors that have been providing some extra "get-up-and-go" for Juno's Atlas will complete their burn and be "stagger jettisoned." First, solids 1 and 2 separate from the rocket, followed 1.5 seconds later by solids 3, 4 and 5.

Fairing and stages separate -- occurs at about launch plus 4 minutes, 45 seconds 
The Atlas's 68-footlong (21-meter-long) nose cone, or fairing, will separate and be jettisoned as planned, providing Juno and its Centaur upper stage with their first taste of exo-atmospheric existence. The Atlas V's 106.6 foot-long (33-meter-long) first-stage will have completed its tour of duty. The Centaur upper stage, which will provide the final kick for Juno, will begin the first of two scheduled burns.

Parking at 17,500 miles per hour -- occurs at about launch plus 10 minutes, 45 seconds 
The Centaur upper stage will temporarily stop firing, as planned, and the rocket and Juno will begin a planned 30-minute coast phase, also known as a "parking orbit."

Centaur burns for Jupiter -- occurs at about launch plus 41 minutes, 33 seconds 
The Atlas V's Centaur upper stage will begin a second burn. This approximately nine-minute-long burn will place Juno on its desired trajectory.

Spacecraft separates from Centaur -- occurs at about launch plus 56 minutes 
The Juno spacecraft will separate from the Centaur upper stage of its Atlas V rocket. At this point, Jupiter will be five years and 1,740 million miles (2,800 million kilometers) away.

For more details visit the following links:

http://missionjuno.swri.edu/

http://science1.nasa.gov/missions/juno/

Prince Harry's dream

Prince Harry

Prince Harry inside the helicopter

Prince Harry with Apache helicopter behind him

Prince Harry (the son of Princess Diana) is apparently planning to be the first royal to go into space and even wants to enter NASA space training.

The Prince, 26, is a secret ‘Star Trek’ fan and “obsessed with space”, according to friends.

They say he has already asked British business magnate Sir Richard Branson’s son Sam for a seat on one of the first Virgin Galactic sub-orbital flights.

And he wants to become an honorary member of the elite US space programme after returning from Afghanistan next year.

“Harry has already completed his studies of Land and Sea Surveillance and Oceanology – part of Astro training – and can’t wait to get into one of NASA’s T38 training jets,” the Sun quoted a royal source as saying.

“It’s his dream to be the first Royal in space. He’s been going on about this for months. A lot of people don’t know Harry is a Trekkie and has long harboured a desire to get into space.”

“His service with the Army Air Corps has been exemplary, which puts him in good stead. There’s no chance of him walking on the Moon, but he wants to train with NASA and is determined to get on a Virgin Galactic flight,” the source added.
But Clarence House said: “We are not officially aware of this.”

HARRY will need to meet these NASA requirements to become an astronaut:

GAIN a degree in engineering, bio science, physical science or maths. He may struggle, as he left Eton with A levels in art and geography.

PUT in 1,000 hours' jet aircraft pilot-in-command time. Test flight experience is considered desirable. No problem – Harry is described as a "natural pilot".

PASS a space physical, similar to military physical. Harry will easily make the grade, but he'll have to pack in the fags again.

For more stories visit the following links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Harry_of_Wales

http://travel.aol.co.uk/2011/08/06/harry-to-be-first-royal-to-travel-into-space/