Page 58 - Life beyond the Karman

New Horizons
In 2015, the New Horizons spacecraft became the first to explore Pluto and its moons from a close distance, after a nine- year journey. In 2019, it reached Arrokoth, a Kuiper Belt object and the most distant object ever studied up close. While on its long journey, the spacecraft was able to capture stunning images of Jupiter’s moons Io, Europa, and Ganymede, and remained in good condition as it travelled towards the outer limits of our solar system at 300,000 miles per year.
Rosetta
The Rosetta mission was launched in 2004. It consisted of the orbiter spacecraft Rosetta and the lander Philae. The aim was to map the comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko by remote sensing, and to examine its environment on site and its evolution in the inner solar system. In 2014, Rosetta became the first spacecraft to rendezvous with and orbit a comet, accompanying it as it passed through the inner solar system, and to deploy a lander, Philae, and perform on site science on the comet›s surface, characterise the comet’s nucleus; examine the chemical, mineralogical and isotopic composition of volatiles and refractories; examine the physical properties and interrelation of volatiles and refractories in a cometary nucleus; study the development of cometary activity and the processes in the surface layer of the nucleus and detail the origins of comets, the relationship between cometary and interstellar material and the implications for the origins of the solar system.
The Voyager
Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 were launched by NASA in 1977. The Voyagers weren’t the first spacecraft to reach the nearest of the giant planets, but they were more sophisticated than the pioneers and made many startling discoveries.
Voyager 1 travelled a shorter distance than Voyager 2 and arrived at Jupiter in 1979, discovering that the planet’s
colourful moon Io had erupting volcanoes. In 1980, Voyager 1 flew past Saturn, observing intricate details in the planet’s rings and discovering the first nitrogen atmosphere beyond Earth, around the moon Titan. Voyager 2 took a more scenic route, visiting Jupiter in 1979 and Saturn in 1981 before passing by Uranus and Neptune in 1986 and 1989, respectively. Voyager 2 saw geysers on Neptune’s large moon Triton and spectacular views of the green and blue planets.
Both spacecrafts then headed for interstellar space. The interstellar medium begins where the solar wind, the outflow of charged particles from the sun, ends. This ionised gas, or plasma, presses against the cooler, less-dense interstellar plasma flowing around it like a pebble obstructing water in a stream. The sun-carved cavity is called the heliosphere and its edge the heliopause, just as the top of Earth’s troposphere is called the tropopause.
Shenzhou -12
The Shenzhou-12 spaceship consists of three main components: an orbiter module, a return module, and a propelling module. In addition, it has 14 sub-systems onboard.
The research team behind the Shenzhou-12 mission prioritizes the safety of astronauts and has developed a new emergency response system to ensure that they can be rescued both in space and at the launch site.
The Shenzhou-12 spacecraft has received a new, shiny silver coating that is designed to withstand the harsh environment of space. This is made with innovative materials that protect the inside of the craft, ensuring that the astronauts’ living conditions are maintained. In addition, the coating offers protection against an array of radiation in space.
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LIFE BEYOND THE KÁRMÁN LINE - OUTER SPACE