MESSENGER Mission to Mercury Heather Weir NASA-GSFC/SSAI August
9, 2006 Slide 2 MESSENGER Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter New Horizons
Slide 3 MESSENGER Mission to Mercury http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/
Slide 4 Mercury: Some basic properties Closest planet to the Sun
(0.39 AU) Orbital period: 88 days Length of one day (sunrise to
sunrise): 176 Earth days One day on Mercury is two of its years
long! 3:2 spin-orbit (rotates three times about its spin axis for
every two orbital revolutions) Slide 5 3:2 Spin-Orbit Resonance A
solar day (the length between two meridian transits of the Sun)
lasts about 176 Earth days. A sidereal day (the period of rotation)
lasts about 58.7 Earth days. Slide 6 Mercury The Planet Seen with
the naked or unaided eye, 2 hours before sunrise or after sunset.
Surface very Moon-like Has an atmosphere (but extremely tenuous)
Very low gravity (3.7m/s 2 ) Daytime temperature: 450 degrees
Celsius, or 840 degrees Fahrenheit (lead melts at 327.5 C).
Night-time temperature: -212 Celsius, or -350 Fahrenheit (oxygen
changes from gas to liquid below - 183.0 C). Planets Over
Stonehenge Credit & Copyright: Philip Perkins
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020509.html Slide 7 Solar System
(sizes to scale, distances not to scale) Slide 8 Mercury: One of
the Terrestrial Planets (sizes not to scale) Mercury VenusEarth
Mars Terrestrial planets: rocky Earth-like planets Slide 9 Mercury:
The Extreme of the Terrestrial Planets Is the smallest Is the
densest Besides Earth, only one with global magnetosphere Has one
of the oldest surfaces Has largest daily changes in surface
temperature (-180C to 450C; or -300F to 850F) Is the least explored
In this group, Mercury Slide 10 Visitors to Mercury 3 fly-bys in
1974 & 1975 Mapped ~45% of planets surface scaled down to 1
kilometer Revealed impact craters; smooth and rough terrain, global
magnetic field; thin atmosphere, & iron-rich core creating high
uncompressed density. Mariner 10 Slide 11 MESSENGER MErcury
Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging NASA
Discovery Mission 1 Earth fly-by, 2 Venus fly-bys, 3 Mercury
fly-bys Orbit Mercury map almost the complete planet Launch
08/03/04 Orbit: 03/18/11 Data collection concludes: ~03/18/2012
NASA, Carnegie Institute of Washington, and John Hopkins University
(Applied Physics Laboratory) Slide 12 Only the second spacecraft
ever to visit Mercury Mariner 10 flew by three times in 1974-1975
First ever to study the planet from orbit: Close-up observations
for one Earth year State-of-the-art spacecraft equipped with
cutting-edge technology and top-quality instruments Mission Slide
13 Science Payload Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS): This
instrument consists of wide-angle and narrow-angle imagers that
will map landforms, track variations in surface spectra and gather
topographic information. A pivot platform will help point it in
whatever direction the scientists choose. The two instruments will
enable MESSENGER to see much like our two eyes do. Gamma-Ray and
Neutron Spectrometer (GRNS): This instrument will detect gamma rays
and neutrons that are emitted by radioactive elements on Mercury's
surface or by surface elements that have been stimulated by cosmic
rays. It will be used to map the relative abundances of different
elements and will help to determine if there is ice at Mercurys
poles, which are never exposed to direct sunlight. X-Ray
Spectrometer (XRS): Gamma rays and high- energy X-rays from the
Sun, striking Mercury's surface, can cause the surface elements to
emit low- energy X-rays. XRS will detect these emitted X-rays to
measure the abundances of various elements in the materials of
Mercury's crust. Magnetometer (MAG): This instrument is at the end
of a 3.6 meter (nearly 12-foot) boom, and will map Mercury's
magnetic field and will search for regions of magnetized rocks in
the crust. Slide 14 Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA): This instrument
contains a laser that will send light to the planets surface and a
sensor that will gather the light after it has been reflected from
the surface. Together they will measure the amount of time for
light to make a round-trip to the surface and back. Recording
variations in this distance will produce highly accurate
descriptions of Mercurys topography. Mercury Atmospheric and
Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS): This spectrometer is
sensitive to light from the infrared to the ultraviolet and will
measure the abundances of atmospheric gases, as well as detect
minerals on the surface. Energetic Particle and Plasma Spectrometer
(EPPS): EPPS measures the composition, distribution, and energy of
charged particles (electrons and various ions) in Mercury's
magnetosphere. Radio Science (RS): RS will use the Doppler effect
to measure very slight changes in the spacecraft's velocity as it
orbits Mercury. This will allow scientists to study Mercury's mass
distribution, including variations in the thickness of its crust.
Science Payload Slide 15 Science Questions Why is Mercury so dense?
What is the geologic history of Mercury? What is the structure of
Mercurys core? What are the nature and origin of Mercury's magnetic
field? What are the unusual materials at Mercurys poles? What is
the nature of Mercurys atmosphere? Slide 16 Why Study Mercury?
Understanding the "end member" of the terrestrial planets holds
unique clues to the questions of the formation of the Solar System
evolution of the planets magnetic field generation and
magnetospheric physics Exploring Mercury will also help us
understand how our own Earth was formed how Earth has evolved how
Earth interacts with the Sun Slide 17 Timeline 2004 Launch (Aug. 3)
2005Earth Flyby I (Aug. 1) 2006Venus Flyby I (Oct. 24) 2007Venus
Flyby II (Jun. 6) 2008Mercury Flyby I (Jan. 15) 2008Mercury Flyby
II (Oct. 6) 2009 Mercury Flyby III (Sept. 30) 2011Enter Orbit (Mar.
18) 2012End orbital operations Slide 18 How to get there? How to
stay comfortable? How to make the spacecraft reliable? Challenges
for a mission to Mercury: Slide 19 Slide 20 Staying Cool Spacecraft
will be exposed to: 5-11 times the amount of sunlight than if near
Earth More than 20 times the amount of solar radiation than if near
Earth Precautions taken Sunshade pointed towards the Sun (at all
times) Highly elliptical orbit (egg-shaped) 200 kilometers (124
miles) above the surface at the lowest point more than 15,193
kilometers (9,420 miles) at the highest. Solar panels 70% optical
solar reflectors (mirrors) 30% solar cells Slide 21 Ice on Mercury?
High radar reflectivity near the north and south poles Permanently
shadowed craters near the poles Possible sources meteorite
bombardment large comet impact planetary outgassing
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/ice/ice_mercury.html Chao
Meng-Fu - a 167 kilometer- diameter crater on Mercury located near
the south pole. Slide 22 MESSENGER Mission to Mercury A very
important study of a poorly-known planet A great challenge for
scientists and engineers An extremely exciting mission to follow by
students, educators, public in general! Slide 23 Contact Info
Heather Weir 301-867-2083 [email protected] Slide 24 Tell me
and I forget Show me and I remember Involve me and I understand
Chinese Proverb Slide 25 Exploring Ice in the Solar System NASAs
MESSENGER and Astrobiology group of the Carnegie Institute of
Washington Slide 26 Exploring Ice in the Solar System Educational
module on: Ice Properties of ice What can live in ice. Where ice
can be found Grades: Pre K-2 and 3-5 12 lessons plus icebreaker
introduction Slide 27 Exploring Ice in the Solar System Science and
literature Concept overviews for Pre K-Grade 2 and Grade 3- Grade 5
Lesson summary and objectives Standards (NSES and Benchmarks)
Essential question Activity question Background Material Slide 28
Exploring Ice in the Solar System Demonstration for Pre K-Grade 2
and Grade 3- Grade 5 Act-it out (not in all lessons) Main Activity
Preparation Warm-up and pre-assessment Procedures Discussion and
reflection Curriculum connection Assessment criteria Resources
Slide 29 Exploring Ice in the Solar System Lessons on CD
Introductory splash page Read in adobe acrobat Slide 30 Slide 31
E/PO Team AAAS - American Association for the Advancement of
Science CCSSE- Challenger Center for Space Science Education CASE -
Carnegie Academy for Science Education JHU/APL - The Johns Hopkins
University Applied Physics Laboratory SSAI - Science Systems and
Applications, Inc. MU-SPIN - Minority University-Space
Interdisciplinary Network CERES - Center for Educational Resources
at Montana State University NASM - National Air and Space Museum
AMNH - American Museum of Natural History in New York PW -
Parmee/Weinrich independent television production/direction team.
MSET - MESSENGER Science and Engineering Team Slide 32 Theme I
Comparative Planetology What do we know about our family of
planets? What dont we know? This theme is an examination of the
diversity of worlds in the Solar System and what is currently known
about Solar System formation and evolution. MESSENGER Stories What
does Mercury tell us about the other planets in the Solar System?
What will we learn from MESSENGER observations? Slide 33 Theme II
The Solar System Through History How have we come to know what we
know about the Solar System? This theme is an exploration of the
Solar System through the eyes of, and resources available to, past
generations. MESSENGER Stories Mercury through history - a case
study How does MESSENGER science and engineering build from the
knowledge of past generations? Slide 34 Theme III Framing Pathways
to Answers: The Scientific Process in Action How do we solve
engineering and design problems within constraints? What is the
process of scientific exploration? This theme is an investigation
of the scientific process through the vantage point of a planetary
mission. It also places research and exploration in a human
context. MESSENGER Stories Meeting MESSENGERs engineering
challenges Framing experimental pathways to do MESSENGER science
The MESSENGER team Slide 35 Education Materials MESSENGER Education
Modules (MEMs) Broad, content-rich, overview for teachers
Inquiry-based, process- driven approaches to science education
Diverse array of activities and materials contributed by E/PO
partners Units for each grade level (PreK-12) Updated throughout
the mission http://btc.montana.edu/messenger/main/epo.php Slide 36
Slide 37 Dissemination Educator Training and Workshops MESSENGER
Fellowship program **Journey through the Universe** NASA Educators
Workshops MU-SPIN Educators Workshops Solar System Ambassadors
Online MSU CERES Project and MESSENGER E/PO web site AAAS Science
NetLinks Journey through the Universe Slide 38 Comparative
PlanetologyVoyageUnit 2 The Solar System Through History Unit 1Unit
2 Framing Pathways to Answers: The Scientific Process in Action
Staying Cool Unit 2 Education Modules Slide 39 Staying Cool Chapter
1Chapter 2Chapter 3 Elementary School Lesson Middle SchoolLesson
High SchoolLesson Slide 40 Staying Cool How can we study Mercury?
Are there any problems we might face? Are there ways to solve these
problems? Elementary School Sensing EnergyCooler in the Shadows
Middle SchoolSensing the Invisible The Herschel Experiment Snow
Goggles and Limiting Sunlight My Angle on Cooling Effect of
Distance and Inclination High SchoolStar Power! Discovering the
Power of Sunlight Dangers of Radiation Exposure Cooling with
Sunshades Slide 41 How can we study Mercury? Sensing Energy (Grades
2-4) Students use UV-sensitive beads to discover that ultraviolet
light comes from the Sun, but that there are ways we can protect
ourselves from it National Science Education Standards D2, A2, B8
Slide 42 How can we study Mercury? Sensing the Invisible The
Herschel Experiment (Grades 5-8) Students re-create Sir William
Herschels experiment of 1800 and discover that infrared light comes
from the Sun. Students examine why infrared radiation is important
National Science Education Standard B3 AAAS Benchmarks 4F, 12C
Slide 43 How can we study Mercury? Star Power! Discovering the
Power of Sunlight Students calculate the solar constant on Earth
and compare it to what it would be at Mercury National Science
Education Standards B6, D1 AAAS Benchmark 4E Slide 44 Are there any
problems? Snow Goggles and Limiting Sunlight (Grades 5-8) Students
measure their field- of-view with and without snow goggles Students
discuss how MESSENGER uses similar approaches to limit its exposure
to sunlight (but they both use the scientific method) National
Science Education Standards A1, A2 AAAS Benchmarks 4F, 11B, 12C
Slide 45 Are there any problems? Dangers of Radiation Exposure
(Grades 9-12) Students calculate yearly radiation exposure Compare
exposure rate on Earth with that of Mercury Examine MESSENGER
mission in terms of solar cycle National Science Education Standard
F5 AAAS Benchmarks 10G, 1C Slide 46 Are there ways to solve them?
Cooler in the Shadows (Grades PreK-1) Students monitor shadows
throughout the day to see how they change Temperatures taken in and
out of the shadows, and show that it really is cooler in the
shadows National Science Education Standards D2, B1 AAAS Benchmark
4E Slide 47 My Angle on Cooling Effect of Distance and Inclination
(Grades 5-8) Students discover how temperature changes as a
function of distance and inclination Discuss cause of the seasons
on Earth Discuss how MESSENGER uses these tactics National Science
Education Standard D3 AAAS Benchmark 12C Are there ways to solve
them? Slide 48 Cooling with Sunshades (Grades 9-12) Students design
a sunshade to keep ice from melting Re-design, eliminate sources of
error National Science Education Standard B5 AAAS Benchmarks 4E, 8B
Slide 49 Design Challenges Grades PreK-1 What Will Keep My Lunchbox
Cool? Grades 2-4 How Do You Prevent Things from Getting Too Hot?
Grades 5-8 How yo Keep Gelatin from Melting? Grades 9-12 How yo
Keep Items Cool in Boiling Water? Slide 50 Challenger Center
Pedagogy Challenger Center creates inquiry-based hands-on lessons
in which students are at the center, creating their own knowledge.
Lessons are created by a team of educators and practicing
researchers, to ensure high-quality materials that are
scientifically accurate. Challenger Center begins creating lessons
based on the National Science Education Standards they want to
address, not simply aligning lesson as an after-thought. Slide 51
Snow Goggles SunSunglassesHunters Slide 52 SITUATION: Imagine that
you are a 19 th century hunter, trying to spear a seal on the
arctic ice in springtime to feed your family. Near the North Pole,
where everything is covered by snow and ice, it is bright in all
directions. There is so much light and glare from the sky and
reflected from the snow-covered ground, that you can become snow
blind. PROBLEM How do you get rid of the excess light you do not
need, but keep the light you do, so that you can still see the
seals (and so that you dont accidentally bump into a polar bear)?
Slide 53 Cut out snow goggles Cardstock Decorate Measure field of
view without goggles Measure field of view with goggles Vertical
Horizontal Slide 54 Standards & Benchmarks Slide 55 Standards
& Benchmarks PreK-4 Slide 56 Standards & Benchmarks 5-8
Slide 57 Standards & Benchmarks 9-12 Slide 58 Staying Cool
Review AAAS Review High marks NASAs Science Mission Directorate
Reviewed by four educators and three researchers 1 Good 1 Very Good
5 Outstanding
