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Extrasolar
Planet Telescope Nears First Light
Letters
from: Louis
D. FRIEDMAN
Executive
Director
- The
Planetary Society
Tuesday,
July /2/2002
"Predictions by our partner, The Planetary Science
Institute in Tucson, are that we may discover as many
as 30 Jupiter-sized
planets each year.
Just seven years ago, no planets around other stars had been proven to exist. Since then, the discovery rate worldwide
has averaged only about 12 a year. Our project may produce between 10 and 40 new discoveries every
year."
Two years ago, with your blessing, we took on an ambitious, far-sighted
project: an effort to resurrect a beautiful, but aging,
1.3 meter telescope that had been declared obsolete at
Arizona's Kitt Peak National Observatory.
We recognized this as a rare and fleeting opportunity
to significantly expand the search for other worlds elsewhere
in our galaxy. So
we leapt at the chance to help a consortium of science
institutions to refurbish and upgrade the telescope.
With its state-of-the-art CCD imager, computer-controlled
robotics, and data analysis software, the Kitt Peak "Robotically
Controlled Telescope"(RCT) ranks among the most sophisticated
and sensitive telescopes of its kind. The RCT will also officially expand The
Planetary Society's involvement in one of the most exciting
and promising
efforts of the space age: the search for extra-solar planets.
However, there is a problem: we're falling short on resources
needed to reach final completion and begin operations.
We need your help today to bridge the gap. Without
some decisive action by you and your fellow
members
immediately, our ability to fulfill all our commitments
related to this project could be jeopardized.
Our
project is real and ready to go.
We know this project is worth the investment because
the payoff promises to be truly enormous.
Predictions by our partner, The Planetary Science
Institute in Tucson, are that we may discover as many
as 30 Jupiter-sized planets each year. Just seven
years ago, no planets around other stars had been proven to exist. Since then, the discovery rate worldwide
has averaged only about 12 a year. Our project may produce between 10 and 40 new discoveries every
year.
Now,
it's time to "make some history."
Please, help the Society finish up this project
and get it into production by giving as generously as
you can through the Donations page on our website at:
https://planetary.org/donations.html
*
* * * *
Help
Support the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence!
3.7
million people and counting!
May
11, 2002
That
is an astounding number. It is also the number of people
who have signed on to participate in the incredible SETI@home
Project - a bold experiment that directly involves them
in the search for life beyond Earth.
In
the last three years, SETI@home has linked together what
amounts to more than three million private computers,
in essence making it the largest computer in the world!
This "supercomputer" is hard at work crunching
the numbers in search of the signal that could be the
first proof of intelligent life beyond this planet.
When
The Planetary Society first agreed to take on sponsorship
of SETI@home, we knew we were taking a risk with an enormously
complex and ambitious software project. But we saw the
tremendous possibility for public involvement, so we took
the risk that no one else would.
That's
why your help is needed now! By sending in your generous
gift today, you can help us ensure that this
remarkable project continues running
far into the future.
SETI@home
is not just about being directly involved in the adventure
of exploration...it's about having a real shot at making
the history books. After all, the day we discover life
on another world is a day that will be remembered always.
It will be marked as a pivotal point in human history,
the instant that humanity's isolation in the cosmos
disappears
forever.
Without
financial support from interested individuals like you,
we simply would be unable to undertake such rewarding
projects. Please help today by making a generous contribution
to the Society. I guarantee that your gift will make a
difference.
To
donate to support SETI@home, just go to the Donations
page on
our website at:
https://planetary.org/donations.html
Also,
if you haven't received it already, you will probably
be getting a letter about this project in the mail.
If you would prefer
making a donation to support SETI@home through
standard mail,
please feel free to use the response envelope we've included with your letter.
Louis
D. Friedman
Executive
Director -The Planetary Society
* * * * *
Cosmos 1
Update - 16 April 2002
We
continue to progress in our quest to fly the first solar
sail: the
Cosmos 1 spacecraft has now passed vibration and dynamic
tests. In early April, our team conducted a series
of tests simulating the
dynamical environment of transportation, launch, orbit
insertion, and
flight with the mechanical spacecraft model - and Cosmos
1 passed
all the tests.
The
mechanical model (sometimes called an engineering model)
is made
of components that are either the flight units or exact
mass and
volume equivalents. The team subjected it to a complete
simulation
of the dynamical conditions expected to be experienced
by
the spacecraft. We had expected the weakest link would
be the solar
arrays, which are fragile structures hinged to the spacecraft.
But
they survived the testing nicely, and our project leaders
gave a full
go-ahead to begin manufacturing all components for the
flight spacecraft.
We
received more good news when the rocket motor for orbital
insertion
was successfully integrated on the mechanical model and
all
parts of the fuel flow system checked out.
This
month the electronic parts of the flight hardware are
supposed to
come together for system and electrical tests - all mechanical
and
electrical components will be working together. Most of
the communication
and scientific components have been delivered,
including
sensors, the accelerometers, the star tracker and the
UHF-band
radio. But the panoramic camera and S-band radio
are
not complete yet, nor is the on-board computer. Their development
is proceeding well, however, and we expect all
components
to be in the test area by the end of this month. Our
biggest
concern is the delivery of the on-board computer with
compete
software.
We
hope soon to set up a live web camera in the test area
in IKI, which
you will be able to visit through our web site. There
we will follow
the test progress over the next several months as the
spacecraft
is put through its paces in a simulation of all functions.
These
tests will determine our readiness for launch, which we
now expect
to be no earlier than September.
We
have had delays and have accepted those delays in order
to develop
the spacecraft as reliably as possible. Within the next
few weeks
we will conduct a launch date review and specify an official
request
to the Russian Navy for launch dates.
Meanwhile,
back at The Planetary Society, we have delivered to the
project
the CD containing our member's names and other historical
material
about solar sailing. We also have started to configure
our Project
Operations - Pasadena (POP) room, which will be our
control
link to the Mission Operations - Moscow (MOM) center at
Babakin
Research Center in Moscow.
So,
we move closer to the launch of the first solar sail.
http://www.planetary.org/solarsail/index2.html
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The
Planetary Society was founded in 1980 by Carl Sagan, Bruce
Murray,
and Louis Friedman to encourage the exploration of our
solar
system and the search for extraterrestrial life.
The
Society is a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization,
funded by dues
and donations from individuals around the world. With
more than
100,000 members from over 140 countries, we are the largest
space-interest
group on Earth. Membership is open to all people
interested
in our mission.
Not
already a member? Join today at:
https://planetary.org/JoinUs.html
E-mail:
tps.dd@planetary.org>
The Planetary Society
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