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The 2016 PerseidsThe Perseid meteor shower has been observed since ancient times. One of the most prolific annual showers, the Perseids have also been known to outburst. At least two spacecraft have suffered anomalies potentially caused by meteoroid impacts during Perseid outbursts. Olympus, an ESA telecommunications satellite, was likely impacted by a Perseid meteoroid during the 1993 outburst that ultimately led to the termination of the spacecraft's mission. Landsat-5, an imaging satellite jointly managed by NASA and the USGS, lost gyro stability during the peak of the Perseids in 2009. The Perseid meteor shower is expected to outburst again in 2016. Stream model predictions place the peak activity on the night of August 11-12 (UT) as the Earth passes through several old debris trails from parent comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. Observing geometry favors Europe at the onset, but increased activity for about half a day means that North America is also well-placed for observations. A call for observations to characterize the stream and constrain numerical models is made. Modeling results, observing geometry, and spacecraft risk during the 2016 Perseids will be discussed.
Document ID
20150016507
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Abstract
Authors
Moser, D. E.
(Jacobs Engineering and Science Services and Skills Augmentation Group (ESSSA) Huntsville, AL, United States)
Cooke, W. J.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 26, 2015
Publication Date
July 14, 2015
Subject Category
Spacecraft Design, Testing And Performance
Numerical Analysis
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Statistics And Probability
Report/Patent Number
M14-4670
Report Number: M14-4670
Meeting Information
Meeting: Stanford Meteor Environment and Effects (SMEE) Workshop
Location: Stanford, CA
Country: United States
Start Date: July 14, 2015
End Date: July 16, 2015
Sponsors: Stanford Univ.
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNM12AA41C
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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