On Dec. 5, 2015, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Kimiya Yui captured this image from the International Space Station of the planet Venus. Part of the station’s Kibo laboratory is visible at the top of the frame. At the time this photograph was taken, Japan’s Akatsuki spacecraft, a Venus climate orbiter, was nearing the planet.
Tag: image
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Signed and sealed
ESA and Airbus Defence & Space celebrate the industrial contract for building the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, Juice -
Talking climate
Discover more about the importance of aerosols as an Essential Climate Variable to understand our changing world -
[Project Topics] AKATSUKI successfully inserted into Venus' orbit
One of the five cameras aboard the Venus Climate Orbiter “PLANET-C” is the “IR2,” whose observation target is infrared rays that are about two micron in wavelength. It aims to measure the high-temperature atmosphere of Venus under thick clouds, its movement, and distribution of its trace components. In other words, the IR2 is a camera that can see through the real surface of Venus. The IR2 is made of materials suitable for infrared ray observations (manufactured by Nikon) and its photo-taking device (element) which is equivalent to a CCD in a digital camera is made of Platinum Silicide (PtSi) element (manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric.)
The PtSi element is one million pixels (1024 x 1024). We are very proud of its high performance, which is far superior to commercially sold digital cameras or video cameras. It can work stably in the harsh environment of space with an excellent ability to capture both dark and bright objects (dynamic range) and a very high accuracy of measurement (linearity.) Currently, one million pixels is the highest level for this type of camera.
The PtSi detector shown in the photo is a trial piece. The one million pixel (1024 x 1024) light receiving surface is about 17 mm x 17 mm in size and attached to the IC package. We have already acquired satisfactory results for this element through a cooling evaluation test. In May 2006, we began to manufacture the prototype and flight model elements by slightly modifying the design of the trial piece.
The “IR2” and the other onboard infrared camera, “IR1,” are the main cameras of the orbiter. Although the two cameras target different observation wavelength ranges, their elements are almost the same. In addition to the lenses and elements, the camera unit itself, equipped with a cooling device for both the IR1 and the IR2, is developed by a Japanese precision equipment manufacturer (Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.) thus they are being developed 100% domestically.
It is not easy for Japan to challenge the space development field by itself, as Japan lags behind Western countries. Still, we believe that we can accumulate knowledge through the challenge to sophisticate our own advanced technologies and promote our cutting-edge space science. Therefore both the engineers and scientists are working together for this development.
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CubeSat calling
Technology image of the week: radio testing of the world’s first CubeSat designed for atmospheric reentry -
EDRS-A and its laser are ready to fly
After a year-long wait in storage for a Proton rocket to become available, the EDRS-A laser communications payload and its Eutelsat host satellite are finally at the Baikonur cosmodrome and being prepared for launch in late January.
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Talking climate
Discover more about the importance of soil moisture as an Essential Climate Variable to understand our changing world -
Armstrong Flight Research Center’s F-15D Eagle Follows OLYMPEX Science Mission
NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center’s F-15D Eagle #897, flown by pilot Troy Asher with videographer Lori Losey in the back seat, serves as a chase vehicle for NASA’s DC-8 flying laboratory on the Olympic Mountain Experiment (OLYMPEX) science mission, Nov. 10, 2015.
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Armstrong Flight Research Center’s F-15D Eagle Follows OLYMPEX Science Mission
NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center’s F-15D Eagle #897, flown by pilot Troy Asher with videographer Lori Losey in the back seat, serves as a chase vehicle for NASA’s DC-8 flying laboratory on the Olympic Mountain Experiment (OLYMPEX) science mission, Nov. 10, 2015.
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Launch positions
Human spaceflight and operations image of the week: ESA astronaut Tim Peake tries out his pressure suit and seat for 15 December launch -
Robot arm simulates close approach of ESA’s asteroid mission
The final approach to an asteroid has been practised for ESA’s proposed Asteroid Impact Mission using a real spacecraft camera mounted on a robot arm.
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Galileo taking shape
A new video shows Galileos 11 and 12 being readied for their 17 December launch, concluding a year when the number of satellites in orbit will have doubled -
Earth in Full View
The Apollo 17 crew caught this breathtaking view of our home planet as they were traveling to the moon on Dec. 7, 1972. It’s the first time astronauts were able to photograph the South polar ice cap. Nearly the entire coastline of Africa is clearly visible, along with the Arabian Peninsula.