Orbit data for the Ariane launch is now available. Here’s the Ariane trajectory to the disposal area in the Indian Ocean with impact around 0320 UTC Aug 13 on its second orbit. (Note the earlier pass southbound over Western Australia on its first orbit, about 0140 UTC)
On the other side of the planet, we see the launch trajectory north from French Guiana over the Atlantic and Labrador, circa 0040 UTC, and then on the second orbit over Colombia, Cuba, the eastern US and Ontario circa 0225-0240 UTC. The deorbit burn was at 0235 UTC, 800 km above Lake Superior
The deorbit burn of the Ariane 6 upper stage occurred at 0235 UTC Aug 13 (10.35 pm EDT Aug 12). Spinup and propellant dump at about 0245 UTC was widely observed in the eastern US and Canada as Ariane 6003 headed north and downhill for reentry over the Indian Ocean half an orbit later
So I guess this is solar powered? It’s not clear from the text, but the picture has a lot of solar panels.
The moon has a rotation of 28 days right? I thought that was a severe limitation of solar power there, since you have to go a fortnight without sunlight on the surface…
The polar regions of the moon have regions which are more permanently in sunlight/shadow. The Argonaut lander mentioned in the article is destined for the south pole.
esa
Gorące
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