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#20 by FutureSpaceTourist on 28 Jul, 2023 15:50
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https://twitter.com/esaoperations/status/1684945807839993857Quote
The final manoeuvre has begun for @ESA_Aeolus, and so far all is looking nominal.
Aeolus is coming home.
#ByeByeAeolus👋🛰️🥹
https://twitter.com/esaoperations/status/1684950393652928512QuoteThe #MissionControl Team has done everything they planned, @ESA_Aeolus is now out of their hands.
From skilled engineers to wonderful wizards in the flight dynamics team, it's a proud moment in the Main Control Room.
They now hand over to our #SpaceDebris experts. #ByeByeAeolus -
#21 by FutureSpaceTourist on 28 Jul, 2023 16:55
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twitter.com/esaoperations/status/1684966671159631875Quote
News just in: @ESA_Aeolus has been spotted by the TIRA radar in Germany, @Fraunhofer_FHR📡
As we put @ESA_Aeolus to sleep, we can't hear from our Earth Explorer. We rely on ground observations to follow its last moments.
Our #SpaceDebris experts are analysing the data ...
Edit to add:
https://twitter.com/esaoperations/status/1684972294173597703Quote🔥✅Data from the TIRA radar has been analysed, and shows that Aeolus was found almost exactly where it was expected, confirming a successful final manoeuvre!🔥✅
#ByeByeAeolus👋🥹🛰️ -
#22 by FutureSpaceTourist on 28 Jul, 2023 19:44
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https://twitter.com/esaoperations/status/1685001869825851392Quote
According to our calculations, @ESA_Aeolus should now have reentered Earth's atmosphere🔥🪦
We're waiting for confirmation from our partners with information on the exact time and location of entry🗺️
#ByeByeAeolus🥹 -
#23 by FutureSpaceTourist on 29 Jul, 2023 07:06
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https://twitter.com/esa_aeolus/status/1685183480781561856Quote
🌠🎯🇦🇶 CONFIRMED in the early hours, #Aeolus reentered Earth’s atmosphere on 28 July at around 21:00 CEST above Antarctica.
✅ by US Space Command.
Read more about the historic, pioneering end to a trailblazing mission👉esa.int/Applications/O…
#ByeByeAeolus
#SustainableSpace -
#24 by john smith 19 on 29 Jul, 2023 15:28
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https://twitter.com/esa_aeolus/status/1685183480781561856
Firstly congratulations to all of the Aeolus team for this very successful pioneering mission to fly a UV LIDAR, then bring it down in a controlled manner.Quote🌠🎯🇦🇶 CONFIRMED in the early hours, #Aeolus reentered Earth’s atmosphere on 28 July at around 21:00 CEST above Antarctica.
✅ by US Space Command.
Read more about the historic, pioneering end to a trailblazing mission👉esa.int/Applications/O…
#ByeByeAeolus
#SustainableSpace
The data they have produced has significantly
a) Updated the global climate models. So in its absence numerical weather forecasters can substitute a better model for wind speeds and directions. Including (perhaps) enough improvements to maintain the predicted 9% improvement in predicting the paths of Catagory 5 storms, something that can save 100s (1000s?) of lives and reduce property damage.
b) Generated lots of "lessons learned" for future UV LIDAR construction. AIUI a big problem was laser induced contamination/damage.
Both were caused by the use of porus optical coatings. When the coatings outgassed they became much more easily damaged by the lasers and the gases smeared onto the rest of the optics, cutting transmission, a classic "double whammy."
. Bleeding 02 into the optical system seems to have been used as a getter. Recognition that porus coatings, and the development of less porus ones, is the ultimate answer of course.
Keep in mind Aeolus was a demonstrator mission, effectively an X programme. It's design is more than 20 years old when a 355nm laser meant feeding the output of an Nd:YAG into a frequency tripling crystal system. Today UV laser diodes are COTS parts.
I look forward to the next generation UV LIDAR orbiting ASAP.
A Mars version of Aeolus (also called Aeolus) is targetting 3 sensors in a 40Kg package but with wind cells 10Km in height. On that basis could a version of Aeolus II be done as (say) a 3U cubesat? -
#25 by FutureSpaceTourist on 30 Jul, 2023 18:28
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#26 by FutureSpaceTourist on 03 Aug, 2023 08:19
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https://twitter.com/esaoperations/status/1687014779838185472Quote
Simulating Aeolus’s demise: a bird’s eye view🛰️🔥🪦👉https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2023/08/Simulating_Aeolus_s_demise_a_bird_s_eye_view
#ByeByeAeolus
#SustainableSpace
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#27 by FutureSpaceTourist on 04 Aug, 2023 10:44
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https://twitter.com/esaoperations/status/1687405050031636480Quote
Here we have it: our assessment of where @ESA_Aeolus finally reentered Earth's atmosphere and location where any fragments may have fallen.
It wasn't easy to pinpoint as no one was around to witness it. That's exactly what we wanted.
More👉https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2023/08/Right_on_track_Aeolus_reentry_map
#ByeByeAeolus
. Bleeding 02 into the optical system seems to have been used as a getter. Recognition that porus coatings, and the development of less porus ones, is the ultimate answer of course.