Difference between revisions 962777 and 984451 on enwikiversity

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Astronomy is performed by location and is subject to local conditions. The shapes and sizes of observatories have changed over time, as have their altitude. The motivations for putting an observatory manned or unmanned at different altitudes has led to a great variety in '''lofting technology'''.
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==Orbital rocketry==
[[Image:TRACE in cleanroom during assembly.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The TRACE spacecraft is imaged in its cleanroom during assembly. Credit: NASA.]]

Additional technology used to benefit astronomy includes [[w:Sounding rockets|sounding rockets]] which may carry gamma-ray, X-ray, ultraviolet, and infrared detectors to high altitude to view individual sources and the background for each wavelength band observed.
[[Image:Atlas IIAS launch with SOHO.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) is launched atop an ATLAS-IIAS expendable launch vehicle. Credit: NASA.]]
With the advent of lofting technology comes the possibility of placing an observatory as a free floating yet when necessary either a geostationary, rotating, or fixed form in orbit.

Lofting an observing system into an orbit around the Earth requires designing and testing for survival of the rocket trip upward and the orbiting technique (usually a second stage for orbital insertion). At right is an early X-ray observatory (Solrad 3), the spherical silver ball with antenna, atop a stack of satellites, being fitted with a nose cone to reduce atmospheric drag and to protect the satellites.

Once the satellite is securely aboard the second stage, the lofting rocket is fueled (when liquid fuel is used), and the launch commences.
{{clear}}[[Image:Atlas IIAS launch with SOHO.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) is launched atop an ATLAS-IIAS expendable launch vehicle. Credit: NASA.]]
[[Image:Thor Able Star with Transit 4A, Solrad 3 and Injun 1 (Jun. 29, 1961).jpg|thumb|right|80px|Lift-off of the Thor Able Star launch vehicle. Credit: US Air Force/Navy.]]
[[Image:Transit-4A Injun-1 Solrad-3.jpg|thumb|left|100px|Pictured here is the Solrad 3 X-ray astronomy observatory atop the satellite stack being fitted with a nose cone. Credit: US Navy.]]
Additional technology used to benefit astronomy includes [[w:Sounding rockets|sounding rockets]] which may carry gamma-ray, X-ray, ultraviolet, and infrared detectors to high altitude to view individual sources and the background for each wavelength band observed.

With the advent of lofting technology comes the possibility of placing an observatory as a free floating yet when necessary either a geostationary, rotating, or fixed form in orbit. The TRACE spacecraft imaged at above right is in its cleanroom during assembly prior to launch.

The Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) is launched at top left atop an ATLAS-IIAS expendable launch vehicle. The early Atlas is a development (an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, ICBM) for defense as part of the mutual assured destruction (MAD) effort which helped to end the Cold War.

Lofting an observing system into an orbit around the Earth requires designing and testing for survival of the rocket trip upward and the orbiting technique (usually a second stage for orbital insertion). At left is an early X-ray observatory (Solrad 3), the spherical silver ball with antenna, atop a stack of satellites, being fitted with a nose cone to reduce atmospheric drag and to protect the satellites.

Once the satellite stack for Solrad 3 is securely aboard the second stage, the lofting rocket is fueled (when liquid fuel is used), and the launch commences. At right is the Thor Able Star rocket being launched by the US Air Force from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA.

Solrad 3 is operated by the US Naval Research Laboratory beginning with its launch on June 29, 1961, through to the end of its mission on March 6, 1963. Although Solrad 3 did not successfully separate from the satellite immediately below it in the stack (Injun 1), it successfully returned solar X-ray data until late in 1961. It is not expected to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere for ~900 years.
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==Shuttle payloads==
[[Image:STS-103 Reflection on astronaut's visor.jpg|thumb|left|150px|The Space Shuttle Discovery's Cargo Bay and Crew Module, and the Earth's horizon are reflected in the helmet visor of one of the space walking astronauts on STS-103.]]
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==Orbital platform with observer==
[[Image:Salyut7 with docked spacecraft.jpg|thumb|right|200px|This view of the Soviet orbital station Salyut 7 follows the docking of a spacecraft to the space station. Credit: NASA.]]
(contracted; show full)[[Category:History of science]]
[[Category:Original research]]
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[[Category:Resources last modified in October 2012]]

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