Imaging Our Solar System: The Evolution of Space Mission Cameras and Instruments

Author: Bernard Henin
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030904997
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 294

Book Description
As we speak, stunning new snapshots of our Solar System are being transmitted to Earth by a fleet of space probes, landers, and rovers. Yet nowadays, it is all too easy to take such images for granted amidst the deluge of competing visuals we scroll through every day. To truly understand the value of these incredible space photos, we first need to understand the tools that made them possible. This is the story of imaging instruments in space, detailing all the technological missteps and marvels that have allowed us to view planetary bodies like never before. From the rudimentary cameras launched in the 1950’s to the cutting-edge imaging instruments onboard the Mars Perseverance rover, this book covers more than 100 imaging systems sent aboard various spacecraft to explore near and distant planetary bodies. Featured within are some of the most striking images ever received by these pioneering instruments, including Voyager’s Pale Blue Dot, Apollo’s Blue Marble, Venera’s images from the surface of Venus, Huygens’ images of Titan, New Horizon’s images of Pluto and Arrokoth, and much more. Along the way, you will learn about advancements in data transmission, digitization, citizen science, and other fields that revolutionized space imaging, helping us peer farther and more clearly across the Solar System.

Deep Space Craft

Author: Dave Doody
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3540895108
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 447

Book Description
Deep Space Craft opens the door to interplanetary flight. It looks at this world from the vantage point of real operations on a specific mission, and follows a natural trail from the day-to-day working of this particular spacecraft, through the functioning of all spacecraft to the collaboration of the various disciplines to produce the results for which a spacecraft is designed. These results are of course mostly of a scientific nature, although a small number of interplanetary missions are also flown primarily to test and prove new engineering techniques. The author shows how, in order to make sense of all the scientific data coming back to Earth, the need for experiments and instrumentation arises, and follows the design and construction of the instruments through to their placement and testing on a spacecraft prior to launch. Examples are given of the interaction between an instrument’s science team and the mission’s flight team to plan and specify observations, gather and analyze data in flight, and finally present the results and discoveries to the scientific community. This highly focused, insider’s guide to interplanetary space exploration uses many examples of previous and current endeavors. It will enable the reader to research almost any topic related to spacecraft and to seek the latest scientific findings, the newest emerging technologies, or the current status of a favorite flight. In order to provide easy paths from the general to the specific, the text constantly refers to the Appendices. Within the main text, the intent is general familiarization and categorization of spacecraft and instruments at a high level, to provide a mental framework to place in context and understand any spacecraft and any instrument encountered in the reader’s experience. Appendix A gives illustrated descriptions of many interplanetary spacecraft, some earth-orbiters and ground facilities to reinforce the classification framework. Appendix B contains illustrated detailed descriptions of a dozen scientific instruments, including some ground-breaking engineering appliances that have either already been in operation or are poised for flight. Each instrument’s range of sensitivity in wavelengths of light, etc, and its physical principle(s) of operation is described. Appendix C has a few annotated illustrations to clarify the nomenclature of regions and structures in the solar system and the planets’ ring systems, and places the solar system in context with the local interstellar environment.

High Performance Silicon Imaging

Author: Daniel Durini
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0857097520
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 479

Book Description
High Performance Silicon Imaging covers the fundamentals of silicon image sensors, with a focus on existing performance issues and potential solutions. The book considers several applications for the technology as well. Silicon imaging is a fast growing area of the semiconductor industry. Its use in cell phone cameras is already well established, and emerging applications include web, security, automotive, and digital cinema cameras. Part one begins with a review of the fundamental principles of photosensing and the operational principles of silicon image sensors. It then focuses in on charged coupled device (CCD) image sensors and complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors. The performance issues considered include image quality, sensitivity, data transfer rate, system level integration, rate of power consumption, and the potential for 3D imaging. Part two then discusses how CMOS technology can be used in a range of areas, including in mobile devices, image sensors for automotive applications, sensors for several forms of scientific imaging, and sensors for medical applications. High Performance Silicon Imaging is an excellent resource for both academics and engineers working in the optics, photonics, semiconductor, and electronics industries. - Covers the fundamentals of silicon-based image sensors and technical advances, focusing on performance issues - Looks at image sensors in applications such as mobile phones, scientific imaging, TV broadcasting, automotive, and biomedical applications

Exploring the Unknown

Author: Roger D. Launius
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Astronautics
Languages : en
Pages : 832

Book Description
"Exploring the unknown" is a multi-volume series containing a selection of key documents in the history of the U.S. civil space program. Volume V, focusing on the exploration of space by robotic spacecraft that have significantly altered our perspectives on the cosmos, prints 121 key documents on the history of space science, planetary exploration of the solar system, and space astrophysics, edited for ease of use. Many of these documents are published here for the first time. Each is introduced by a headnote providing context, bibliographical information, and background information necessary to understanding the document. This documentary history is an essential reference for anyone interested in the history of the U.S. civil space program and its development over time. It will serve as a valuable source both for students and scholars. Additional volumes will appear later that trace space science and the programmatic developments in the history of the U.S. exploration of space.

Planetary Remote Sensing and Mapping

Author: Bo Wu
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 0429000510
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 332

Book Description
The early 21st century marks a new era in space exploration. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States, The European Space Agency (ESA), as well as space agencies of Japan, China, India, and other countries have sent their probes to the Moon, Mars, and other planets in the solar system. Planetary Remote Sensing and Mapping introduces original research and new developments in the areas of planetary remote sensing, photogrammetry, mapping, GIS, and planetary science resulting from the recent space exploration missions. Topics covered include: Reference systems of planetary bodies Planetary exploration missions and sensors Geometric information extraction from planetary remote sensing data Feature information extraction from planetary remote sensing data Planetary remote sensing data fusion Planetary data management and presentation Planetary Remote Sensing and Mapping will serve scientists and professionals working in the planetary remote sensing and mapping areas, as well as planetary probe designers, engineers, and planetary geologists and geophysicists. It also provides useful reading material for university teachers and students in the broader areas of remote sensing, photogrammetry, cartography, GIS, and geodesy.

Harnessing Light

Author: Committee on Optical Science and Engineering
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 030953884X
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 358

Book Description
Optical science and engineering affect almost every aspect of our lives. Millions of miles of optical fiber carry voice and data signals around the world. Lasers are used in surgery of the retina, kidneys, and heart. New high-efficiency light sources promise dramatic reductions in electricity consumption. Night-vision equipment and satellite surveillance are changing how wars are fought. Industry uses optical methods in everything from the production of computer chips to the construction of tunnels. Harnessing Light surveys this multitude of applications, as well as the status of the optics industry and of research and education in optics, and identifies actions that could enhance the field's contributions to society and facilitate its continued technical development.

Cometary Science after Hale-Bopp

Author: Hermann Böhnhardt
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9781402012884
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 354

Book Description
Comet Hale-Bopp defines a milestone event for cometary science: it is the first "really big" comet observed with modern equipment on the ground and from space and due to that; it is considered the new reference object in cometary sciences. At the beginning of a new era in spacecraft exploration of comets and five years after Hale-Bopp's perihelion passage these proceedings of invited and contributed papers for IAU Colloquium 186 "Cometary Science after Hale-Bopp" review the state-of-the-art knowledge on comets, the icy, dusty and most primordial left-overs of the formation disk of our own solar system. This is the first volume with invited review papers. A second volume with contributed papers is published in ISBN 1-4020-0978-X.

From Cave Art to Hubble

Author: Jonathan Powell
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030316882
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 269

Book Description
Since ancient times, humans have been engaged in a continual quest to find meaning in and make sense of sights and events in the night sky. Cultures spread around the world recorded their earliest efforts in artwork made directly on the natural landscapes around them, and from there they developed more and more sophisticated techniques for observing and documenting astronomy. This book brings readers on an astronomical journey through the ages, offering a history of how our species has recorded and interpreted the night sky over time. From cave art to parchment scribe to modern X-ray mapping of the sky, it chronicles the ever-quickening development of tools that informed and at times entirely toppled our understanding of the natural world. Our documentation and recording techniques formed the bedrock for increasingly complex forays into astronomy and celestial mechanics, which are addressed within these chapters. Additionally, the book explores how nature itself has recorded the skies in its own way, which can be unraveled through ongoing geological and archaeological studies. This tale of human discovery and ingenuity over the ages will appeal to anybody interested in the field of astronomy and its rich cultural history.

Intelligent Computing Paradigm and Cutting-edge Technologies

Author: Lakhmi C. Jain
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030385019
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 495

Book Description
This book discusses fundamental and high-level concepts relating to intelligent computing and communications in the context of distributed computing, big data, high performance computing and the Internet of Things. It is becoming increasingly important to develop adaptive, intelligent, computing-centric, energy-aware, secure and privacy-aware mechanisms in high-performance computing and IoT applications. Serving as a useful guide for researchers and practitioners working in the field of information technology and computer science, the book also appeals to beginners wanting to learn more about the better computing paradigm. In addition, it provides a platform for researchers, engineers, academics and industry professionals from around the globe to share their research findings.

Deep Space Propulsion

Author: K. F. Long
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1461406072
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 379

Book Description
The technology of the next few decades could possibly allow us to explore with robotic probes the closest stars outside our Solar System, and maybe even observe some of the recently discovered planets circling these stars. This book looks at the reasons for exploring our stellar neighbors and at the technologies we are developing to build space probes that can traverse the enormous distances between the stars. In order to reach the nearest stars, we must first develop a propulsion technology that would take our robotic probes there in a reasonable time. Such propulsion technology has radically different requirements from conventional chemical rockets, because of the enormous distances that must be crossed. Surprisingly, many propulsion schemes for interstellar travel have been suggested and await only practical engineering solutions and the political will to make them a reality. This is a result of the tremendous advances in astrophysics that have been made in recent decades and the perseverance and imagination of tenacious theoretical physicists. This book explores these different propulsion schemes – all based on current physics – and the challenges they present to physicists, engineers, and space exploration entrepreneurs. This book will be helpful to anyone who really wants to understand the principles behind and likely future course of interstellar travel and who wants to recognizes the distinctions between pure fantasy (such as Star Trek’s ‘warp drive’) and methods that are grounded in real physics and offer practical technological solutions for exploring the stars in the decades to come.