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At 95, comet man embarks on out-of-this-world tour HARVARD-SMITHSONIAN CENTER FOR ASTROPHYSICS NEWS RELEASE Posted: July 1, 2002
Fred Whipple, often referred to affectionately as "Dr. Comet," originated the "dirty snowball" model of comet structure in 1950. He theorized that, rather than loose conglomerates of dust and rock, comets were solid chunks of ice with dust and rocky particles mixed in. This model was confirmed 36 years later when the European Space Agency's Giotto mission passed by Halley's Comet. In addition to his work on comets and the solar system, Whipple served as director of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory from 1955 to 1973. In 1982, the former Mt. Hopkins Observatory in Arizona was renamed the Fred L. Whipple Observatory in his honor. But Whipple's greatest honor was receiving the President's Award for Distinguished Public Service from President Kennedy on June 12, 1963. This award is the highest U.S. civilian honor for government service, and was bestowed on Whipple for his leadership in creating a worldwide network to track orbiting satellites. CONTOUR is a NASA Discovery mission to conduct close-up studies of the nucleus of at least two comets. Comets formed from the same nebula of material that formed the planets, so their study can tell us about the birth of our solar system. The CONTOUR mission will enable scientists to compare and contrast these frozen bodies in order to learn about their diversity. CONTOUR scientists will also study how comets evolve as they approach the sun. Current plans call for CONTOUR to visit Comets 2P/Encke and 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Harvard-Smithsonian Center
for Astrophysics (CfA) is a joint collaboration between the Smithsonian
Astrophysical Observatory and the Harvard College Observatory. CfA
scientists organized into seven research divisions study the origin,
evolution, and ultimate fate of the universe.
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Pre-launch briefing Launch timeline - Chart with times and descriptions of events to occur during the launch. Launch windows - See the daily launch opportunities for CONTOUR. Orbit trace - Maps showing the ground track for the launch. CONTOUR - Technical look at the spacecraft and its systems. Science goals - The science of CONTOUR aims at a closer look at comet diversity. Delta 2 rocket - Overview of the Delta 2 7425-model rocket used in this launch. SLC-17 - The launch complex where Delta rockets fly from Cape Canaveral. Delta manufacturing - Map of where the parts for Delta 2 rockets are made. Hardware flow - Illustration of how Delta 2s come together at the Cape. Delta directory - See our coverage of preview Delta rocket flights. Apollo 11 special patch Special collectors' patch marking the 35th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 moon landing is now available.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Inside Apollo mission control
An insider's view of how Apollo flight controllers operated and just what they faced when events were crucial.U.S. The ultimate Apollo 11 DVD This exceptional chronicle of the historic Apollo 11 lunar landing mission features new digital transfers of film and television coverage unmatched by any other.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Next ISS crew
Own a little piece of history with this official patch for the International Space Station's Expedition 11 crew. We'll ship yours today!U.S. The Unbroken Chain Guenter Wendt's autobiography, The Unbroken Chain, is a ground-shaking, fumes in your nostrils account of the glory days of manned spaceflight.Apollo 12 tribute DVD set ![]() New! Featuring the jovial crew of Pete Conrad, Dick Gordon and Alan Bean, the Apollo 12 mission was struck by lightning shortly after liftoff but proceeded on the second successful exploration voyage to the lunar surface. This three-disc DVD brings the mission to life with extraordinary detail. U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Fallen Heroes special patch This special 12-inch embroidered patch commemorates the U.S. astronauts who made the ultimate sacrifice, honoring the crews of Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Women in Space Women of Space: Cool Careers on the Final Frontier is for girls, young women, and anyone else interested in learning about exciting careers in space exploration. Includes CD-ROM.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Mars rover poster This new poster features some of the best pictures from NASA's amazing Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity.U.S. |
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