From the musings of the ancient Chinese to the construction of the modern Hubble Telescope, space always has fascinated the human mind.
Through NASA's Comet Nuclear Tour mission, scientists now have an unparalleled opportunity to study what some consider the most striking objects in the sky.
The mission's goal is to catch a glimpse of the inner workings and complex structure of comets, the flying balls of dust and ice that glimmer in the night, according to Laura Lautz, NASA's education and public outreach coordinator.
"Comets are basically bodies in the solar system identified by their characteristic tails," said Ken Siedelmann, a University professor of astronomy who conducts research on the solar system and is considered an expert on comets. "The thinking is that the tail of a comet can be likened to a 'dirty snowball' melting away as it approaches the sun," Siedelmann added.
The CONTOUR mission will launch a cutting-edge satellite to observe comets at close distance and record scientific data. Astronomers will study various types of comets that have eccentric names such as Encke, Schwassmann-Wachmann-3 and d' Arrest.
Through the mission, which is set to launch this summer, scientists expect the satellite to encounter the Encke comet in 2003 and the Schwassmann-Wachmann-3 comet in 2006. Both comets orbit the sun but scientists have not yet determined their precise trajectories.
The mission will focus primarily on these two coments, Lautz said.
Scientists will attempt to discover what exactly makes up a comet's center.
Scientists want to compare comets' composition with planets' internal makeup to determine the materials that were present during the solar system's formation, Siedelmann said.
Once the satellite is in orbit, scientists believe they will be able to learn more from comets than from planets, which have not been in existence for as long.
"Comets are great bodies to visit in this regard," he said.
So far, astronomers succeeded in producing images of only two comets, Borrelly and Halley, making the CONTOUR mission a giant leap in the study of comets.
Additionally, the mission also may help scientists understand more about the potentially life-endangering effects of a comet's collision with Earth, Siedelmann said. The complex organic molecules present in comets may have sparked the beginnings of life on Earth, he added.
"We might discover our very roots through the identification of what these organic molecules are and how they supported the most primordial forms of life on this planet," Lautz said.
In preparation for the mission, the CONTOUR satellite had to pass a rigorous series of tests before graduating to final testing at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
"The spacecraft is in great shape and we're ready to move on to the next stage," said CONTOUR project manager Mary Chiu in a press release.
The satellite is equipped with four different instruments able to report the kinds of rock and ice, the isotope ratios and the composition of dust around the comet, Lautz said.
The satellite also includes a camera for producing images of the comets' nuclei. Kevlar armor and a sophisticated fiber shield protect the satellite from ice and dust that potentially could damage the spacecraft.
At Goddard, NASA scientists will subject the CONTOUR satellite to a second battery of tests to demonstrate its preparedness for space.
Acoustic tests will simulate the noise-induced vibrations of launch and thermal vacuum tests will replicate the harsh conditions of deep space.
Although scientists generally agree they can learn much from studying comets, several events throughout history have highlighted the potentially destructive power of these objects in the night's sky.
In 1908 a comet crashed into Siberia, incinerating all trees within a 40-mile radius.
More recently, the comet Shoemaker-Levy-9 collided with Jupiter in 1994 with the force of thousands of hydrogen bombs.
A comet also may have been responsible for the extinction of dinosaurs millions of years ago.
Read More
Winsome Earle-Sears talks higher education in first U.Va. event of the campaign
By Ford McCracken | 8 hours agoA Jamaican immigrant and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Earle-Sears is the first female lieutenant governor of Virginia,
U.Va.'s Earth Day Eco-Fair 2025 spotlights sustainability advocacy
By Leigh Bailey | 9 hours agoStudents from Contracted Independent Organizations and University Office of Sustainability leadership programs each shared their unique perspectives about sustainability advocacy on Grounds.
Student Council votes to relocate Hereford orchard and basketball hoop
By Lauren Seeliger | 19 hours agoStudent Council passed a resolution Tuesday to relocate the orchard and basketball hoop of Hereford Residential College due to construction in the surrounding area.
