Adriana Ocampo is responsible for the Juno probe to Jupiter travels. As account, this space mission “is full of things we do for the first time.”
As a child, Adriana Ocampo I used to jump on the roof of your home and look at the stars for hours, wondering what would there and why they were there.
today Colombia Barranquilla keeps his curiosity as a child, but you do not need to climb onto the roof of the house now manages Program Missions Scientific NASA and is responsible for the mission Juno will arrive Monday to Jupiter .
“Juno is an extraordinary space mission,” says excited Ocampo, who has 10 years working on this project one of the most expensive NASA. “It is a milestone for humanity . It is a mission of the never. It is full of things we’ll do first . For example, this is the first time we do the feat of traveling to Jupiter in a ship powered with solar panels more than 8 meters long each. ”
The Juno probe travels over 27 kilometers per second heading to the most dangerous area of our solar system around Jupiter, which are full of cyclones and winds high speed. “It’s a terribly dangerous area,” says the scientist dark hair and intense eyes. “Jupiter emits as electron bullets that sweep away everything in its path and we are approaching a ship at 27 kilometers per second.”
The main engine will turn Juno on Monday at 8:18 pm Pacific Time. The maneuver will last 35 minutes and is expected to Juno at 8:53 pm is inserted into the orbit of Jupiter. “We’re figuring that has to last at least 20 minutes to reach orbit and be captured by the gravitational field of Jupiter, which is a deadly and dangerous environment,” explains Ocampo.
anticipating this risk, a hub where they travel titanium scientific instruments was also created for the first time. This allows them to reduce radiation units from 20,000 to 800.
“We’ve never done before. We do not know if it will work. It may be that the electronic circuit that commands the ship is affected by radiation and then we programmed to turn on immediately if it shuts down, “he says. All this will happen during the dangerous maneuver.
48 minutes ‘dumb’
From 8:53 pm, will have to wait 48 minutes in silence, which is what it takes the signal to reach Earth at the speed of light. This will be a critical and of great anxiety at NASA while.
“It is the most dramatic point, because if the signal does not reach know we have a big problem to rescue the mission. We have prepared for that with plans B, C and D “, recognizes.
If all goes as planned, Juno will have two very long orbits of 53 days each. During that time scientists calibrate the instruments. Later, we will try to change orbit again. “This is another ever. Let’s get down to move from an elliptical orbit to a circular. In the circular orbit Juno will take 14 days to complete the trip from pole to pole. We have never orbited so close to Jupiter. “
But there’s more. This is the first time aboard the ship there is a camera that caught the camera humanity will allow anyone in the world with Internet access request to NASA where you want pictures of this giant planet are taken.
it is good business to invest in space science
Ocampo knows that when talking about investment in space exploration many people question why that money is not intended to fight concrete evils on Earth, such as poverty or climate change. the answer is simple.
“we are human beings, but also are space beings. the Earth is our own spaceship. understanding the environment is to understand who we are and where we come from. we can not ignore this medium. in every moment we are traveling. we are astronauts and we can not forget this, “argues
E incident.” this is money well spent the 70% of the things we use every day is the result of the race. space exploration and thanks to it, for example, found in Venus how occurs the greenhouse and how that planet was left without air protection. We do not want that. Before going to Venus did not know that, much less would think how to avoid on Earth “.
” As a woman and Hispanic and immigrant in this country I can say that I feel very accomplished and I think it is true that you can achieve what you want and fulfill your dreams. I also believe that science and space exploration is an excellent career for women “emphasizes this Colombian geologist, who in the past was part of the team discovered the giant crater created by the impact of the meteorite in Chicxulub, Yucatan, Mexico, which is said could have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.
how does sleeping or Ocampo rest with such a responsibility on you?
She smiles at the question. “NASA has taught me to be me super optimistic . you think there are many things that are impossible , but here seen how the ingenuity and human cooperation achieved things I never expected. I lived things even got to dream, as robotic modules that detect liquid water on Mars and went to Pluto and can see clearly and clearly, we can see the mountains of kilometers, “he says.
” I know the team and I know that NASA is extraordinary. Although we know that no risk , we are prepared for scenarios imagined. We can be confident. Also, I think we’ll be lucky. Maybe we do not need, but also helps a little luck, “he adds.
” I hope that we succeed in orbit around Jupiter for all people who want to enter the website and participate in the voting to decide at what latitudes want us pictures of this planet. It is giving the opportunity and especially young people to get excited. That space science, enthuse the world knowledge is, “he said.
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