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Meet the astronomers. See where they work. Know what they know.


The Project:

The Cosmic Diary is not just about astronomy. It's more about what it is like to be an astronomer.

The Cosmic Diary aims to put a human face on astronomy: professional scientists will blog in text and images about their lives, families, friends, hobbies and interests, as well as their work, their latest research findings and the challenges that face them. The bloggers represent a vibrant cross-section of female and male working astronomers from around the world, coming from five different continents. Outside the observatories, labs and offices they are musicians, mothers, photographers, athletes, amateur astronomers. At work, they are managers, observers, graduate students, grant proposers, instrument builders and data analysts.

Throughout this project, all the bloggers will be asked to explain one particular aspect of their work to the public. In a true exercise of science communication, these scientists will use easy-to-understand language to translate the nuts and bolts of their scientific research into a popular science article. This will be their challenge.

Task Group:

Mariana Barrosa (Portugal, ESO ePOD)
Nuno Marques (Portugal, Web Developer)
Lee Pullen (UK, Freelance Science Communicator)
André Roquette (Portugal, ESO ePOD)

Jack Oughton (UK, Freelance Science Communicator)
Alice Enevoldsen (USA, Pacific Science Center)
Alberto Krone Martins (Brazil, Uni. S. Paulo / Uni. Bordeaux)
Kevin Govender (South Africa, S. A. A. O.)
Avivah Yamani (Indonesia, Rigel Kentaurus)
Henri Boffin (Belgium, ESO ePOD)

Movable paper model of “Hayabusa”

Movable paper model of Hayabusa

Movable paper model of Hayabusa

Re-ignition of the ion engine of the asteroid explorer “Hayabusa”, whose re-entry capsule is now scheduled to come back to the Earth (Woomera Desert in Australia) in June 2010, was successfully completed for a powered flight on 2009 February 4. I thought it is a good timing to archive the beta-version of the movable paper model of “Hayabusa” that I designed earlier, to encourage the “Hayabusa” Project Team members. This model is the second lineup of the “Movable Paper Models of Spacecrafts” series after the model of “Kaguya”. Just like the first series that I created when I was a staff member of ALMA-Japan — “Movable Paper Models of Telescopes”, available online from the ALMA-Japan homepage — my models have movable parts. You may simulate operations of “Hayabusa” with this model by deploying the solar paddles and the sampling horn, steering the medium-gain antenna-A, gimbaling ion engines, separating the target markers and the “MINERVA” rover, and separating the re-entry capsule and opening its parachute cover. Waste your weekends with the challenging models available online.
http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/j/enterp/missions/hayabusa/fun/papercraft.shtml

2010年6月の再突入カプセル地球帰還に向けて今年2月4日にイオンエンジンに再点火した小惑星探査機「はやぶさ」は、リアクションホイールに不安を抱えながらも、現在も粘り強く運用が続けられています。不屈の闘志で挑戦を続ける「はやぶさ」プロジェクトチームへの応援の意味を込めて、「親子で作る科学衛星のペーパークラフト」シリーズ第2弾として、「小惑星探査機『はやぶさ』β版」を上梓しました。このペーパークラフトは、シリーズ第1弾の「月周回衛星『かぐや』β版」や、国立天文台在職中に揃えた「親子で作る望遠鏡のペーパークラフト」シリーズ同様に、あちこちが動いたり外れたりします。探査機の運用手順通り、太陽電池パドル展開、中利得アンテナA駆動、サンプラーホーン伸展、イオンエンジンジンバル駆動、ターゲットマーカ分離、ミネルバ分離、再突入カプセル分離、パラシュートカバー分離が可能ですので不屈の闘志で挑戦してみてください。型紙は「はやぶさ」プロジェクトのページからダウンロードできます。作り方説明ができておらず、広報普及に携わる人間の手によるものとは到底思えない不親切さですが、腕試しにどうぞ挑戦してみてください。
http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/j/enterp/missions/hayabusa/fun/papercraft.shtml
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4
  1. Shashikiran

    Hi,

    Thanks for sharing this model! Could you provide a link to the ALMA one?

    Best wishes,
    Shashi

  2. yocolin

    Hi, Shashi,

    I found this link.
    http://www.nro.nao.ac.jp/alma/E/outreach/papermodel.html

    Try it please! Seems so much fun!

  3. Seiichi Sakamoto

    Thank you Shashi for your interest, and thank you yocolin for your assistance.
    You may also find it interesting to have your own movable KAGUYA.
    http://www.selene.jaxa.jp/ja/document/pdf/kaguyamodel.pdf
    Sorry for the Japanese text.

  4. はいてんしょん(makototension)

    2ヶ月かかって出来ました
    難しかったです
    一番難しいのは自分の指には小さすぎたって事ですかね~(^^;;;