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Scientists Detect OSIRIS-REx Capsule Re-entry with Acoustic Sensors
Table of Contents
- Scientists Detect OSIRIS-REx Capsule Re-entry with Acoustic Sensors
- A Rare Opportunity for Scientific Observation
- Deployment of Advanced Acoustic Sensing Technology
- Analyzing the Sonic Boom
- OSIRIS-REx Mission continues as OSIRIS-APEX
- Publication Details
- Unlocking the Secrets of Atmospheric Entry: An Exclusive interview with Dr. Evelyn Reed, leading Expert in Acoustic Sensing
- Unlocking the Secrets of Hypersonic Entry: An Exclusive Interview with Dr. Evelyn Reed, Acoustic Sensing Pioneer
published: October 26, 2023
In a groundbreaking achievement, a team of scientists from Los Alamos National Laboratory and Colorado State University successfully detected the OSIRIS-REx sample return capsule as it entered Earth’s atmosphere in late September 2023. This innovative detection was made possible through the strategic deployment of advanced acoustic sensors near Eureka, Nevada. the accomplished use of these sensors offers a novel method for tracking objects entering the atmosphere and gaining a deeper understanding of atmospheric impact dynamics.
The OSIRIS-REx mission, launched by NASA in 2016, had the aspiring goal of collecting samples from asteroid Bennu, located approximately 200 million miles (320 million kilometers) from Earth. In 2020, the probe achieved a successful touchdown on the asteroid, gathering a valuable collection of loose debris. The return of these samples to Earth provided a unique and meticulously planned chance for scientists to study atmospheric entry phenomena under controlled conditions.
A Rare Opportunity for Scientific Observation
The controlled re-entry of the OSIRIS-REx capsule presented a rare and invaluable chance to study such an event with unprecedented precision.The research team emphasized this in their published paper, stating, The known trajectory and timing of this return provided a rare opportunity to strategically instrument sites to record geophysical signals produced by the capsule as it travelled at hypersonic speeds through the atmosphere.
Typically, observations of objects entering the atmosphere, such as meteors, are largely serendipitous, relying on chance encounters. The team highlighted the challenges of studying such events, noting that the prediction of shock waves and impacts from meter-size objects is difficult due to the spatio-temporal uncertainties related to their trajectories. Thus,moast recordings of objects entering the atmosphere using geophysical instruments on the ground (e.g., seismometers and infrasound sensors) are serendipitous and the instrument sparsity does not generally allow for a detailed characterization of their trajectory and recordings of the full wavefield.
The OSIRIS-REx mission offered a controlled alternative, allowing for targeted data collection.
Deployment of Advanced Acoustic Sensing Technology
To effectively capture the capsule’s descent,the research team deployed Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) technology,alongside customary seismometers and infrasound sensors,across two carefully selected sites near Eureka,Nevada. This involved laying approximately 7.46 miles (12 kilometers) of optical fiber cables. DAS technology is described as a laser-based technology that uses Rayleigh backscattering to detect distributed vibrations (e.g., strain rate) along the optical fibers.
This advanced technology allowed for a highly detailed and spatially dense data collection.
The deployment proved highly successful. According to the team’s published paper, We successfully measured seismoacoustic signals produced by the OSIRIS-REx Sample Return Capsule using DAS, representing the first such measurement with this instrumentation.
The high spatial sampling density afforded by DAS enabled the team to observe subtle phases of the event that would likely have been missed by standard, more spatially sparse deployments, providing a more complete picture of the atmospheric entry.
Analyzing the Sonic Boom
The data collected provided an unprecedentedly detailed look at the sonic boom generated by the capsule as it plunged through the atmosphere. The team was able to observe precisely how the wavefront changed as it interacted with the Earth’s surface. This level of detail is invaluable for furthering the understanding of atmospheric entry dynamics and the complex coupling between acoustic and seismic phases.
The research team believes that this successful methodology could be replicated to study future atmospheric impacts, both natural and man-made. One of our ongoing objectives is to better understand the physical mechanisms impacting the ground-air coupling of acoustic and seismic phases as thay are recorded with surface-draped DAS fiber,
they concluded,highlighting the potential for further research and refinement of the technique.
OSIRIS-REx Mission continues as OSIRIS-APEX
While the team diligently analyzes the wealth of data gathered from the capsule’s re-entry, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission has been officially renamed OSIRIS-APEX. The spacecraft is now embarking on a new mission, headed toward asteroid 99942 apophis, following a close encounter between the asteroid and Earth anticipated in 2029.
NASA explains that Our planet’s gravitational pull is expected to alter the asteroid’s orbit, change how fast it spins on its axis, and possibly cause quakes or landslides that will alter its surface.
OSIRIS-APEX will allow scientists to closely observe these changes in unprecedented detail.The spacecraft will also dip toward the surface of Apophis – a ‘stony’ asteroid made of silicate (or rocky) material and a mixture of metallic nickel and iron – and fire its engines to kick up loose rocks and dust,
providing a glimpse into the asteroid’s subsurface composition and offering valuable insights into its formation and evolution.
Publication Details
The thorough study detailing the successful detection of the OSIRIS-REx sample return capsule was officially published in the esteemed journal Seismological Research Letters, making the findings accessible to the broader scientific community.
Unlocking the Secrets of Atmospheric Entry: An Exclusive interview with Dr. Evelyn Reed, leading Expert in Acoustic Sensing
We’ve always relied on chance encounters to study atmospheric entry – until now.Dr. Evelyn Reed, Leading Researcher in Geophysical Signal processing
Dr. Evelyn Reed, a leading researcher in geophysical signal processing, reveals a groundbreaking shift in how scientists observe objects entering Earth’s atmosphere.
World-Today-News: Dr. reed, the recent detection of the OSIRIS-REx capsule using acoustic sensors represents a notable leap forward. Can you elaborate on the ancient context of studying atmospheric entry and how this new approach changes the game?
dr. Reed: For decades, our understanding of atmospheric entry has largely been shaped by serendipitous observations of meteors and other naturally occurring events. These occurrences offered glimpses, but were inherently limited due to the unpredictability of these events. The use of infrasound sensors and seismometers provided some data, but the spatial resolution was often insufficient for detailed analysis. The OSIRIS-REx mission provided a unique controlled experiment — a known trajectory, known size, and predictable timing. This allowed us,for the first time,to strategically deploy a network of advanced acoustic sensors to capture a thorough data set of a controlled atmospheric entry. This precision is transformative. We moved from opportunistic data collection to meticulously engineered observation,leading to a much more complete understanding of the physics involved.
World-Today-news: The study mentions Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) technology extensively. Can you explain its key features and advantages compared to conventional seismic and infrasound methods?
Dr. Reed: Traditional seismic and infrasound arrays offer valuable information,but their spatial sampling density can be limiting. Imagine trying to piece together a puzzle with only a few pieces – that’s what we often faced. DAS, however, leverages optical fiber cables to provide incredibly high spatial resolution. This allows us to capture the detailed wavefield generated by the sonic boom of the capsule with unprecedented precision. Rayleigh backscattering within the fibers allows us to detect even minute vibrations along the entire length of the cable, giving us a vastly superior picture of the event. This increased resolution allows improved analysis of the wavefront interactions with the Earth’s surface, leading to a more detailed understanding of the ground-air coupling process during hypersonic events.
World-Today-News: What are some of the key findings from analyzing the acoustic data of the OSIRIS-REx capsule’s re-entry? What new insights did this provide?
Dr. Reed: The data revealed valuable insights into the evolution of the sonic boom as it propagated, reflecting how the wavefront changed as it impacted the atmosphere and Earth’s surface. This detailed characterization of the seismic and acoustic phases generated by a known object at hypersonic speeds provides crucial validation and calibration of numerical simulation and theoretical models. Essentially, we now have a high-fidelity observation to benchmark against our predictions. This allows the refinement of models focusing on atmospheric entry dynamics, shockwave propagation, and the coupling of acoustic and seismic energy at the ground level.
World-Today-News: What are the broader implications of this technological advancement beyond studying asteroid sample returns?
Dr. Reed: The applications extend far beyond asteroid sample return missions. This methodology holds immense potential for a wide range of applications, including monitoring hypersonic vehicle re-entry, improving space debris tracking, and even enhancing our ability to detect and characterize smaller, naturally occurring meteor events. This improved detection capability offers significant advantages in several areas, from planetary defense applications to advancing our understanding of meteoroid showers and their effects on the Earth system. We’re working on extending the technique for even better results from enhanced sensor placements and signal processing. Improved techniques of atmospheric entry monitoring can improve our predictive capacity and bolster planetary defense strategies.
World-Today-News: How does this research impact our understanding of atmospheric entry physics and possibly future planetary missions?
Dr. Reed: This research fundamentally changes how we monitor and investigate atmospheric entry events. The ability to accurately characterize atmospheric entry in a controlled setting offers a significant boon to numerical modeling, allowing simulations to be vetted against real-world observations. This improved understanding of the physics of hypersonic flight is crucial for designing future spacecraft and ensuring the safe return of missions. This level of detail is also vital for future planetary missions to other celestial bodies where atmospheric entry is a critical consideration. The insights gained through this approach may prove invaluable for planning and achieving soft-landing technologies, improving landing site selection, and advancing our understanding of aerospace physics.
World-Today-News: What are the next steps in this research, and what are you most excited about for the future?
Dr. Reed: We’re continuing to refine our analysis of the OSIRIS-REx data and are exploring the application of this technology to other events. we are excited to see how the techniques we developed can be applied to a more comprehensive modeling approach, improving the prediction ability of atmospheric re-entries, and helping us protect our planet. The future will likely see a more extensive network of DAS systems globally, drastically improving our ability to monitor various large events – whether natural or human-made. Perhaps the most exciting aspect is the potential for creating a “global virtual seismic array” allowing us to observe and study phenomena on an unprecedented scale.
World-Today-News: Thank you, Dr. Reed, for sharing your expertise and insights. It’s truly remarkable what this advancement can mean for scientific discovery and planetary defense.
We encourage readers to share their thoughts and questions in the comments section below. What excites you most about
Unlocking the Secrets of Hypersonic Entry: An Exclusive Interview with Dr. Evelyn Reed, Acoustic Sensing Pioneer
Did you know that the sonic boom of a hypersonic object entering Earth’s atmosphere can be detected with unprecedented accuracy using advanced acoustic sensors? This groundbreaking approach, recently used to track the OSIRIS-REx capsule’s return, is revolutionizing our understanding of atmospheric entry dynamics.Let’s delve deeper with Dr. Evelyn Reed, a leading expert in geophysical signal processing.
World-today-News: Dr. Reed, the prosperous detection of the OSIRIS-rex capsule using acoustic sensors marks a meaningful advancement.Could you elaborate on the traditional methods for studying atmospheric entry and how this new approach changes the game?
Dr. Reed: Historically, studying atmospheric entry relied heavily on serendipitous observations – essentially, waiting for a meteor to conveniently appear and hoping our instruments were pointed in the right direction. While infrasound sensors and seismometers offered some data, their spatial resolution was often insufficient for detailed analysis. This meant our understanding was fragmented, based on incomplete data sets. The OSIRIS-REx mission presented a unique controlled habitat: a known trajectory, size, and timing. This allowed us, for the frist time, to strategically deploy a network of advanced acoustic sensors to capture a extensive data set of a controlled atmospheric entry. This precision is transformative. We moved from opportunistic data collection to meticulously engineered observation, resulting in a much more complete understanding of the complex physics involved.
World-Today-News: The study highlights Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) technology. Can you explain its key features and advantages compared to traditional seismic and infrasound methods?
Dr. Reed: Traditional seismic and infrasound arrays provide valuable information, however, their spatial sampling density is often a limitation. Imagine reconstructing a complex event from onyl a few scattered data points – that’s the challenge we faced with traditional methods. DAS, however, utilizes optical fiber cables to achieve incredibly high spatial resolution. This translates to capturing the detailed wavefield generated by the sonic boom with unprecedented accuracy. Rayleigh backscattering within the fibers allows us to detect even minute vibrations along the entire cable length, offering a superior view of the event.This increased resolution enables improved analysis of wavefront interactions with the Earth’s surface, leading to a deeper understanding of the ground-air coupling process during hypersonic events.
World-Today-News: What are some key findings from analyzing the acoustic data of OSIRIS-REx’s re-entry? What new insights did this provide?
Dr. Reed: The data revealed precise details on sonic boom evolution as it propagated, illustrating how the wavefront changed upon impacting the atmosphere and Earth’s surface. This detailed characterization of the seismic and acoustic phases generated by a known object at hypersonic speeds offers crucial validation and calibration of numerical simulations and theoretical models. In essence,we now possess a high-fidelity observation to benchmark against our predictions,enabling refinement of models focused on atmospheric entry dynamics,shockwave propagation,and the coupling of acoustic and seismic energy at ground level.
World-today-News: Beyond studying asteroid sample returns, what are the broader implications of this technological advancement?
Dr. Reed: The applications extend substantially beyond asteroid sample return missions. This methodology holds immense potential for various applications, including:
Monitoring hypersonic vehicle re-entry: Ensuring the safety of next-generation aerospace vehicles.
improving space debris tracking: Enhancing our ability to monitor and mitigate the risk posed by space junk.
* Detecting and characterizing smaller meteor events: Improving planetary defense capabilities and enhancing our understanding of meteoroid impacts.
This improved detection capability offers significant advances in planetary defense strategies and our understanding of natural phenomena.
World-Today-news: How does this research impact our understanding of atmospheric entry physics and future planetary missions?
Dr.Reed: This research fundamentally alters how we monitor and investigate atmospheric entry events. the ability to accurately characterize atmospheric entry under controlled conditions significantly benefits numerical modeling, allowing simulations to be compared with real-world observations. this improved understanding of hypersonic flight physics is crucial for designing future spacecraft and ensuring the safe return of missions. This level of detail is also vital for future planetary missions to other celestial bodies, improving landing technologies and site selection, and enhancing our understanding of aerospace physics.
World-Today-news: What are the next steps in the research, and what excites you most about the future?
Dr. Reed: We’re continuing to refine our analysis of the OSIRIS-REx data and are exploring the application of this technology to other events. The future will likely involve a more extensive global network of DAS systems,drastically improving our ability to monitor a wider range of events.The most exciting prospect is perhaps the potential for creating a “global virtual seismic array,” allowing us to observe and study various phenomena on an unprecedented scale.
World-Today-News: Thank you, Dr. reed, for sharing your expertise. This advancement holds immense potential for scientific discovery and planetary defense.
What are your thoughts on the future of acoustic sensing and its role in monitoring atmospheric entry events? Share your comments below!