June 8, 2001 I n s i d e Volume 31 Number 12 News Briefs . 2 Sister’s passion for education . 3 Special Events Calendar . 2 As t e r oids named for NEAT team . 4 Asrar praises Lab’s efforts . 2 Passings,Letters . 4 Service awards . 2 Classifieds . 4 Jet Propulsion Laboratory s OLAR SYSTEM Genesis Deep Impact arrives a p p roved for d e v e l o p m e n t at KSC By Martha Heil JPL’s Deep Impact mission, the first mission to ever attempt to impact a comet nucleus in Spacecraft that order to answer basic questions about the nature of comets, has successfully completed will capture solar wind its preliminary design phase and has been approved by NASA to begin full-scale develop- will launch July 30 ment for a launch in January 2004. “The Deep Impact mission follows the great By Martha Heil tradition of other Discovery missions like Mars J P L’S GENESIS SPA C E C R A F T, to be launched aboard a Boeing Pathfinder and the Near Earth Asteroid Ren- Delta II vehicle on July 30, arrived May 31 at Florida’s Kennedy Space dezvous,” said JPL’s Brian Muirhead, the Deep Right: Workers off-load the Impact project manager. “The project team at Center from Denver aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 airc r a f t . Genesis spacecraft as it arrived at JPL, Ball Aerospace and the University of Genesis will capture a piece of the Sun—a spacecraft and deployment of the solar arrays. Maryland are very excited and fully prepared to Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle sample of the ions and elements in the solar A test on June 7 will verify the spacecraft’s implement this technically challenging and wind—and bring the samples back to Earth so communications systems and radio links to Landing Facility at 3:30 a.m scientifically unique mission.” that scientists can study the exact composition NASA’s Deep Space Network space telecommu- The Deep Impact team of scientists, engineers Eastern time on May 31. of the Sun and probe the solar system’s origin. nications system. Science instrument operations and mission designers, from JPL, the University By studying the solar wind, scientists will find tests are scheduled June 11, and on June 12 of Maryland, and Ball Aerospace and Tec h n o l o - Below: The Genesis science clues to the formation of the solar system as we the solar arrays will be cleaned and stowed for gies Corp., have been working for more than 18 know it today. JPL manages the Genesis mis- launch. canister. Inside the lid and on a months designing the mission, the dual space- sion for NASA and the spacecraft was built by Genesis will be mated to a Star 37 upper craft and three science instruments. The en- rotating arm are arrays of Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver. stage booster on July 17 before being transport- counter with Comet Tempel 1 on July 4, 2005 In 2004, Genesis’ samples will return to Earth ed to Space Launch Complex 17 the following hexagonal wafers into which will reveal clues to the origin of comets and in a spectacular helicopter capture. As the day. Once mated to the Delta II, a spacecraft the composition and structure of perhaps the solar wind particles will embed. sample return capsule parachutes to the ground functional test will be performed. The payload most mysterious objects in our solar system. in Utah’s Air Force Test and Training Range, fairing is to be installed around Genesis on July Now the Deep Impact team is completing the specially trained helicopter pilots will catch it. 25. Stacking of the Boeing Delta 7326 launch The samples will then be analyzed to provide a vehicle at Pad 17-A is scheduled to begin on final design details and will begin building the “Rosetta Stone” of solar material for comparing June 12. Launch is scheduled for July 30 at mission’s two spacecraft: a flyby spacecraft the Sun’s original ingredients to those of the 9:36 a.m. Pacific time. and a 771-pound (350-kilogram) impactor planets and other solar system bodies. Informa- Genesis is part of NASA’s Discovery Program spacecraft. They will be launched together in tion on the mission is available online at of competitively selected, low-cost solar system early 2004 and travel to Comet Tempel 1’s http://genesismission.jpl. nasa.gov. exploration missions with highly focused sci- orbit, where they will separate and operate The spacecraft will be processed for launch in ence goals. Chester Sasaki of JPL is project independently. The flyby spacecraft will release Kennedy Space Center’s Payload Hazardous manager, and Dr. Donald Burnett of Caltech is the impactor into the comet’s path, then watch Servicing Facility. Processing will begin with a the principal investigator. from a safe distance as the impactor guides functional test, an electrical systems test of the itself to collide with the comet, making a foot- ball field-sized crater in the comet’s nucleus. “This is a major milestone for us,” said Michael A’Hearn of the University of Maryland, E C H N O L O G Y t the principal investigator and mission director. “We have now shown NASA that we have a JPL software that thinks for itself and makes making function for the spacecraft,” said Dr. viable design for the spacecraft and the mis- decisions without help from ground control l e r s Steve Chien, principal scientist and lead re- sion to carry out a truly rare, large-scale ex- will fly as the brains of triplet satellites in 2002. searcher in automated planning and scheduling periment on another body of the solar system.” The software builds on previous efforts to use technologies at JPL. “Like a brain that uses As the gases and ice inside the comet are artificial intelligence to control a spacecraft inputs from the eyes and ears to make deci- exposed and expelled outward by the impact, A rt i f i c i a l (such as JPL’s Remote Agent experiment, which sions, this software uses data from spacecraft the flyby spacecraft will take pictures and controlled the Deep Space 1 spacecraft during sensors, such as cameras, to make decisions on measure the composition of the outflowing gas. portions of several days in 1999). However, this how to carry out the mission. i n t e l l i g e n c e The images and data will be transmitted to new software uses more advanced technology to “Low-quality science images or short-lived Earth as quickly as possible. Many observato- respond more quickly to events and will com- phenomenon could be discarded to free up space will command ries on Earth should be able to see the comet mand a mission continuously for a period of for newer science images,” Chien said. “The dramatically brighten just after the impact. approximately three months. onboard sensors and software might detect a mission The Continuous Activity Scheduling, Planning volcanic eruption or solar flare might trigger Scientists refer to comets as time capsules Execution and Replanning (CASPER) software science imaging.” that hold clues about the formation and evolu- next year will guide a constellation of three identical The decision-making capability of the software tion of the solar system. Comets are composed miniature satellites, each weighing less than is being considered for a wide range of NASA of ice and dust, the primitive debris from the solar system’s earliest and coldest formation By Carolina Martinez 15 kilograms (33 pounds). The three satellites applications, including automated ground com- will be launched from the space shuttle in a munications stations, planetary rovers and robot period, 4.5 billion years ago. They would also stack configuration and fly in formation as part aircraft. Software with similar capabilities has like to learn much more about a comet’s com- of the Three Corner Sat mission, a joint project been used by commercial companies for manag- position, structure and how its interior is of Arizona State University, the University of ing the distribution networks for groceries and different from its surface. Colorado, New Mexico State University, the Air other retail goods and for controlling the pro- Discovered in 1867, Comet Tempel 1 orbits Force Office of Scientific Research and NASA. duction of computers, automobiles, semiconduc- the sun every 5.5 years. It has made many The mission goal is to demonstrate stereo tor chips, and consumer goods passages through the inner solar system, ma k - imaging, formation flying, and innovative opera- For more information, log on to http://casper. ing it a good target to study evolutionary change tions and commanding. jpl.nasa.gov. in the mantle, or outer crust, of a comet. “The onboard software performs the decision- 2 Book helps the blind to touch the stars or subcontracts. Students who are visually impaired Raytheon ISSS, which was also now have a unique opportunity to nominated by NASA’s Goddard Space Sp e c i a l Events Ca l e n d a r touch the stars and experience some Flight Center and the Ames Research of NASA’s spectacular discoveries. Center, received the award in the large For an appointment, call (877) 209- Majestic space images from the Hub- business–service category. In the past Ongoing Support Gro u p s 3140, ext. 2614. ble Space Telescope, including those three years, the company has signed Alcoholics Anonymous—Meetings are contract work orders with JPL worth taken by the JPL-developed and built available.