The European spacecraft flies to meet the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko
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In the morning the postman brought me another pile of newspapers and magazines. I looked through them, and as usual, I have a bad mood all day. The civil war in the Ukraine, the massacre in Gaza, the deadly Ebola epidemic in Africa, the earthquake in China. Disaster, war, murder, suicide, mafia syndicates, serial killers and simply, the slave trade, prostitution, drug addiction and mental illness. In general, the whole world has gone mad … And then, as they say, the light beam in the darkness. True, he flashed four billion miles from our raging planet.
Photo: Gennady Cherkasov
Are only at a distance from God cursed the earth, the human mind finds creative force? And I wanted to tell you, dear reader, this optimistic space ODIs creation of human mind and hands.
After 10 years and a journey of 4 billion miles spacecraft “Rosetta”, launched by the European Space Agency, has achieved in the past Wednesday, August 5, to the point where he will spend the first significant observation of the comet CG and its study. At five in the morning six-minute thruster, the last of the ten, issued a few months, slowed down “Rosetta” to the pace of human walking – two miles per hour relative to the speed of his target – comet CG 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko. (Short CG – from the initial letters of the names of two of our fellow citizens – Klim Churyumov and Svetlana Gerasimenko, discovered the comet).
«This can be compared with the steering car or bus on the highway for 10 years – said the director of flight Andrea Akkonotstso. – Now we have entered a downtown city and began orientation in it. We are not yet acquainted with the city itself. So first we need to open it. ” Over the coming months the comet and “Rosetta” will begin to fall together in the sun. In November, a small lander, weighing only 220 pounds, will leave the spacecraft and comet vopetsya in CG and like a harpoon stuck into its surface. Then gently CG “prikometitsya” himself spaceship. At this time, the comet and the ship will be 330 million miles from the Sun. This is three times greater than the distance from the Earth, if you fly at a speed of 35,000 miles per hour.
Describes a member of the project team Lawrence O’Rourke: “This morning we reached a major milestone in our mission. But it is not only to catch the comet. We need to study it, to fix it on the ship. But here, his mission does not end. Science and its goal continues. We will try to follow the CG around its orbit ».
« Rosetta “was launched in March 2004. This “box” the size of a 9 by 7 feet, which are driven by two solar panels 46 feet long. It flies in a roundabout way skvozSolnechnuyu system using the Earth and Mars to enter the orbit of the comet CG. So far, the “Rosetta” is not as close to the CG, to be at the mercy of its attraction. When the “Rosetta” approach to the comet at 6.2 miles, it will go into its orbit.
Comets, composed of ice, dust and rocks, are the frozen remains of the time of formation of the solar system. The ship is named in honor of the famous Rosetta Stone hieroglyphs carved on which played a decisive role in deciphering the ancient Egyptian writing. Symbolism of this “baptism” is understandable. Scientists hope that the data collected “Rosetta” will help solve the mystery of the origin of the solar system 4.5 billion years ago.
Photos taken with the spacecraft, show the “irregular” the contours of the comet, having a width of 2, 5 miles. Version of scientists says that the reason may be that amalgamation of the two pieces of ice. Another version is inclined to think that the shape of a comet result of weather extremes during previous flights comets into the inner solar system. On the far distance resembles a giant comet rubber duck. Near – is also a giant bush of ginger, hovering in space.
Commenting on the photos of the comet, their chief interpreter Holger Sirks indicates the cliffs, not deep shadows on the flatness, the boulders, and saddled them. “In the coming months we decipher these characters,” – says he is confident. Previously, it was measured that the comet loses two cups of steam per second. (This is an achievement that can not be represented mere earthling). It is “enough” to fill an Olympic swimming pool for 100 days. Approximation of the comet to the Sun heats the surface. Finally, starting liquid drop by drop turn into a stream of steam which creates the tail following the comet. That’s why they are all “tailed».
These observations and measurements are not “art for art’s sake.” They should help solve the mystery of the origin of ocean waters on earth. Where are they? Some scientists believe that the earth enriched water is a comet. However, the water from the distant Oort cloud comets far beyond Pluto does not meet in its composition of our water. But scientists hope that the water from the nearby comets from us will be more akin to the earth. A CG just because of their class.
The next three months will be busy scientists to finding a reliable landing site for the lander “Fila”. Released “Rosetta” this unit by gravity comet attracted to her and struck her with a speed of about two miles per hour. Stefan Ulamek, head of the consortium who built lander, compares his shot hit the surface of the comet with his head on the wall a person conceived and did not notice it. “It’s painful, but not fatal” – jokes Ulamek. Harpoons and thrusters will not give prikometivshemusya Lander break away from the surface of the CG. The photos show that the back surface of the comet is more like ashes from cigarettes or the newly fallen snow on the ice. But this is only a guess, says Ulamek. “We’ll find out about it right after the landing of our Lender».
According to the design, “Rosetta” and “Fila” will operate the whole of 2015, watching the comet’s closest approximation to the Sun. This will happen in a year, counting from today, at a distance of 115 million miles and still outside the Earth’s orbit. By that time, the comet will be so dim that its observation with the naked eye will be removed.
My, and your understanding of, expensive and ordinary reader, available all the details of this cosmic epic piece of work of mathematicians, astrophysicists, engineers, mechanics. And what about the stoic patience to watch for 10 years for walking along the outer torment their offspring “Rosetta”? 10 years – this is the beginning and the end of the wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. This two and a half term as president in America. And these people are looking to the sky, even with their heads bowed over the claims and the drawings. And we are even looking at his feet, stumbling. And blame it on each other.
In space, no air to breathe but easier than in the Earth’s atmosphere. Astronauts countries ready to kill each other on the ground, never conflict with each other in space, although their “living space” is measured in centimeters. They boldly go into space because inextricably linked by the umbilical cord of friendship and unity of purpose. And only on the ground, reseeding on fighting vehicles, they are ready to ram each other. Apparently, the idea of the first-born in space do not apply. Apparently, there knowledge is not considered a sin, and the brothers Abel and Cain in spacesuits astronauts transformed.
Sometimes I wonder how this space takes in a earthlings? Maybe he wants us to say something? Wants us to learn something? Hieroglyphs of the Rosetta Stone opened to us of our past. Spacecraft “Rosetta” reveals the future. But between the past and the present and future wedged in Hamlet threatens the collapse of the communication times. And instead we keep the baton in the hands of the nuclear club, and wave it left and right, without knowing the name of what, under the guise of patriotism generations and times, as a fig leaf. We earthlings, allowed only one patriotism. Also earth, vsezemnoy. Everything else is not the Rosetta stone and tombstone.
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