Re: [meteorite-list] Dawn Journal - November 30, 2010 stupid question

2010-12-04 Thread Göran Axelsson
Hi Steve! You still don't get it. The hydrazine isn't there for it's energy, it is there as mass easily ejected by the rocket nozzle. There is no need for beaming energy to a spacecraft as there is no easy way to store it and you could collect it from the sun via solar panels. Actually, during

Re: [meteorite-list] Dawn Journal - November 30, 2010 stupid question

2010-12-04 Thread Steve Dunklee
Thankyou for your explaination! In a future mission energy can be added to the probe with lasers masers or any other high energy beam to reduce the amount of hydrazine needed and allow craft to gain energy in areas far from the sun . It would be cheaper to beam it up after launch rather than la

Re: [meteorite-list] Dawn Journal - November 30, 2010 stupid question

2010-12-04 Thread Göran Axelsson
The reaction wheels is powered by electricity from the solar panels. The reason (as I understands it) to power down the reaction wheels is to minimize the wear on bearings and motors. Using the attitude jets for turning is just another way of aiming the craft. What they have done is simply slowe

Re: [meteorite-list] Dawn Journal - November 30, 2010 stupid question

2010-12-04 Thread Steve Dunklee
This might be a stupid question but I was wondering if a future craft similar to this could use the ion propulsion unit to power the reaction wheels. And if the rection wheels or gyros are powered up to full speed before the launch if it could reduce the amount of energy neeeded? In addition a h

[meteorite-list] Dawn Journal - November 30, 2010

2010-12-03 Thread Ron Baalke
http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/journal_11_30_10.asp Dawn Journal Dr. Marc Rayman November 30, 2010 Dear Dawnizens of the Solar System, Dawn is maintaining its smooth and steady course through the solar system as it gradually closes in on Vesta. With the utmost patience and persistence, it con