AstrotalkUK

Not for profit website/blog on astronomy, space and my writing

Episode 44: 15th May 2011: First Orbit and Manchester’s Yuri Gagarin Exhibition

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Another Yuri Gagarin episode, I know the anniversary of the world’s first spaceflight is over but there is still lots going on over the next few months. There are two contributors in this episode, Chris Riley and Richard Evans.

One of the most successful projects to mark the anniversary is the film First Orbit. The only camera aboard Vostok 1 was on the inside, transmitting live pictures of Gagarin’s face to the nervous engineers who anxiously monitored mankind’s first experience of spaceflight. First Orbit is a remarkably accurate recreation of what Gagarin would have seen compiled from high definition video shot from the space station. Astonishingly, this undertaking of international proportions, was put together by numerous unpaid volunteers and almost three million who have seen it, saw it for free.  It is still available for viewing online and for download – still free. If you want to make a contribution and have a smart phone (Android or Iphone) the First Orbit app will set you back about 70 pence.

First Orbit was produced and directed by Chris Riley along with many other volunteers. Chances are you have already seen the film. Also available from firstorbit.org website is a short but  facinating video about the making of First Orbit.  Chris Riley talks about his next project “Orbit” but begins with how the idea of First Orbit came about.

Yuri Gagarin was in Britain for 5 days, he spent the second one, Wednesday 12th July 1961, in Manchester.  A major in the Soviet Air Force he started off his career as foundryman.  During his six hours in the city, he visited the head quarters of the Amalgamated Union of Foundry Workers in Old Trafford, the Metropolitan Vickers Engineering plant in Trafford Park and concluded with a civic reception in Manchester Town Hall.

The only event in Manchester to mark the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s vist  is an exhibition at the Waterside Arts Centre in Sale running through until 17th August 2011. The exhibition and program of events have been driven by the science fiction author Richard Evans. He talks about the exhibitiion but starts with his current writing project.

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Today’s quote is from Yuri Gagarin asserting his working class roots during his Manchester visit.

“Although I am doing a different job now, I am still a foundry worker at heart”

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http://www.firstorbit.org/how-we-made-the-film

Episode 39: March 19th 2011: Spacecraft Operations

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Scroll to the bottom for the audio and video.

Since the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957, thousands of unmanned spacecraft have been launched, mostly to Earth orbit, but many have gone to the inner and outer planets, and four of them have pretty much left the Solar System altogether.

European Space Agency’s Mars Express spacecraft arrived at Mars in 2003 and is still operating almost a decade later. It is operated by people in a profession initiated by the space age itself. Spacecraft Operations Engineers are the individuals who quietly take over the responsibility of spacecraft after the nerve wrenching excitement of the launch is over.

Thomas Ormston, a Spacecraft Operations Engineer for VEGA Space GmbH, working at the European Space Operations Centre on the European Space agency’s Mars Express mission describes in this episode the steps involved in controlling Mars Express from over one hundred million miles from Earth.

The Hubble Space Telescope is the single instrument that has probably contributed more to science in the last decade than any other. Its success is not the size of its 2.4m mirror, there are many larger telescopes on Earth but its location.

Many amateur astronomers have captured images of Mars using a webcam. Such images are usually tiny but with integration techniques a surprising amount of surface details is visible. What would it be like if you could put that webcam in Martian orbit? Thomas and his colleagues have done just that.

Several ESA spacecraft have an attached Visual Monitoring Cameras (VMC),  usually installed for a very specific purpose. Mars Express had one to monitor the release of Beagle 2, after that it was switched off. Thomas describes the details behind the project that reactivated the camera in a paper published online and the fascinating video compiled from 600 images taken by the VMC webcam during the 7 hour Martian orbit on 27th May 2010. It continues to take images which are posted here.

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Today’s quote from John Lennon is about the critical importance of the role of human understanding in interpreting the real world, even when you have all the evidence that you could possible desire.

Reality leaves a lot to the imagination

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Audio

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Episode 39: March 19th 2011 – Spacecraft Operations from AstrotalkUK on Vimeo.

Episode18:European Space Agency

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Since the days of Sputnik and Apollo, Space technology has matured to an extent that it is almost a routine commercial activity. China, India and Japan are well established players in addition to USA and Russia. Next year the Virgin Galactic will embark on space tourism. Since its establishment in 1975, the European Space Agency ( ESA) has come a long way. The original 10 founding member countries have now grown to 17 with a broad mission to “Explore Space”. All member countries are European as you would expect – except one. With the same disregard for geography that allows Israel to join the Eurovision song contest, Canada also plays a part in ESA.

ESA has many projects active or in the pipeline and last month initiated an astronauts recruiting program. You have to be from one of the 17 member countries and you can even apply online. David Southwood is the ESA Director of Science. The following conversation with him was recorded at the Space conference.

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Thanks to the guys at space.co.uk (Paul and Martyn) and Cy from speed-of-light.co.uk for the following video.