deep impact spacecraft deep impact nasa space probe launched utc january designed study interior composition releasing utc july successfully collided nucleus impact excavated debris interior nucleus forming impact crater photographs taken spacecraft showed dusty expected impact generated unexpectedly large bright dust cloud view impact crater previous space missions fly missions missions able photograph examine surfaces considerable distances deep impact mission material surface mission garnered large publicity media international scientists amateur completion primary mission proposals utilize spacecraft consequently deep impact flew earth december way extended mission designated dual purpose study planets scientific goals deep impact mission planned help answer fundamental questions included makes composition nucleus depth crater reach impact originated formation observing composition hoped determine form based differences interior exterior makeup observations impact aftermath allow attempt determine answers questions mission led science team included members spacecraft design instrumentation spacecraft consists main sections copper core smart impacted section safe distance encounter spacecraft meters long meters wide meters high includes solar panels debris shield science instruments imaging infrared optical navigation destination near spacecraft carried cameras high resolution medium resolution imaging device combines visible light camera filter wheel imaging infrared called operates band observing nucleus backup device primarily navigation final day approach filter wheel slightly different set filters section spacecraft contains instrument identical called targeting filter wheel dual purpose sense trajectory adjusted times release impact image close range neared surface camera took high resolution pictures nucleus good meters transmitted real time spacecraft destroyed final image taken snapped seconds impact dubbed mass copper weight including mass copper formed total mass aluminium total mass minimize interference scientific measurements copper expected found scientists ignore copper signature readings instead explosives cheaper use copper explosives closing velocity energy equivalent metric tons tnt considerably actual mass mission coincidentally shared film deep impact strikes earth mission profile following launch pad utc january deep impact spacecraft traveled million kilometers million miles days reach cruising speed mph spacecraft reached vicinity july separated sections path hours later relative speed mph kilogram pound delivered energy equivalent tons tnt scientists believed energy high velocity collision sufficient crater wide larger bowl size crater known year impact spacecraft mission determined crater diameter meters minutes impact probe passed nucleus close distance taking pictures crater position entire nucleus entire event photographed earth based including impact observed cameras board europe spacecraft million million miles time impact determined composition gas dust cloud kicked impact mission events launch impact mission proposed nasa time nasa engineers skeptical target hit revised upgraded mission proposal dubbed deep impact accepted funded nasa discovery program low cost spacecraft spacecraft main instruments built integrated boulder colorado developing software spacecraft took months application code consisted lines different application threads total cost developing spacecraft completing mission reached million launch commissioning phase probe originally scheduled launch december nasa officials delayed launch order allow time testing software successfully launched january est utc rocket deep impact state health uncertain day launch shortly entering orbit sun deploying solar panels probe switched safe mode cause problem simply incorrect temperature limit fault protection logic spacecraft catalyst beds spacecraft spacecraft following stage separation january nasa announced probe safe mode healthy february deep impact rockets fired planned correct spacecraft course correction precise planned correction maneuver march unnecessary canceled commissioning phase verified instruments activated checked tests found images focus underwent period mission members investigated problem june announced image processing software mathematical technique images corrected restore resolution anticipated cruise phase cruise phase began march immediately commissioning phase completed phase continued days encounter april probe acquired image target distance million million miles spacecraft executed second trajectory correction maneuver burning rocket engine seconds spacecraft speed changed mph project manager mission nasa reacted maneuver stating spacecraft performance excellent burn different textbook maneuver placed right money approach phase approach phase extended days encounter days encounter days earliest time deep impact spacecraft expected detect camera fact spotted ahead schedule days impact cruise phase milestone marks beginning intensive period observations knowledge orbit study rotation activity dust environment june june deep impact observed activity times larger spacecraft studied images distant stars determine current trajectory position mission investigator pointed takes minutes signal earth thing rely fact smart spacecraft spacecraft build intelligence ahead time let thing june final trajectory correct maneuvers targeting maneuver successfully executed velocity change needed adjust flight path target window space kilometers wide impact phase impact phase began nominally june days impact successfully separated spacecraft ground utc july utc images seen hours separation spacecraft performed divert maneuvers avoid damage minute burn executed slowed spacecraft reported communication link functioning expected spacecraft executed correction maneuvers final hours impact plant impact occurred utc ground utc minutes way light time morning july second expected time impact returned images late seconds impact data captured stored board spacecraft approximately images cameras earth days energy collision similar size exploding tons dynamite times brighter normal mission timeline located impact phase timeline nasa results mission control aware success minutes later confirmed results press hit exactly wanted director stated success exceeded expectations post impact briefing utc july processed images revealed existing nasa scientists stated new crater formed later discovered meters wide meters deep investigators impact stated didn expect success mission bright dust cloud affect second seeing resultant crater fun science meet unexpected analysis data swift ray showed continued impact days peak days impact total million kilograms million pounds water million kilograms million pounds dust lost impact initial results surprising material excavated impact contained dust ice expected models structure positively rule ones loose material addition material finer expected scientists compared powder sand materials found studying impact included found studying impact usually require liquid water form rare space observations revealed space compared outer layers makeup snow bank expressed interest missions different determine share similar compositions different materials found deeper produced time solar system formation based interior chemistry formed cloud region solar system forms farther sun expected greater amounts low freezing temperatures present believe compositions similar likely formed region crater quality images crater formed deep impact collision satisfactory july nasa approved mission mission utilized existing spacecraft studied wild placed new orbit approached distance approximately february utc time visited separate occasions visited weeks provided opportunity better observe crater created observing changes caused latest close approach sun february nasa scientists identified crater formed images crater estimated meters diameter bright mound center likely created material impact fell crater public interest media coverage impact substantial news event reported discussed online print television genuine suspense experts held widely differing opinions result impact experts debated straight create impact crater open hole interior theories hours impact flight team began privately expressing high level confidence barring technical spacecraft intercept senior personnel member stated sit wait technically ensure impact final minutes hit people watched collision giant movie screen hawaii experts came range mission public queen mary said like hitting found didn surface actually gone day impact russian sued nasa million impact ruin natural balance forces universe lawyer asked public volunteer help claim declaring impact changed magnetic properties affected mobile earth phone went morning ask touch august moscow ruled bay attempt appeal result russian physicist said impact effect earth change orbit collision send campaign mission notable promotional campaigns send visitors website invited submit january names gathered burnt mini attached member spacecraft scientific team stated opportunity extraordinary space mission craft launched december names loved ones ride best space fireworks history idea credited driving interest mission reaction china chinese researchers deep impact mission opportunity highlight efficiency american science public support ensured possibility funding long term research contrast china public usually idea scientists limited funding promotion science people enthusiasm research days mission succeeded having probe china revealed plan called clever version mission landing probe small push course china said begin mission sending probe moon contributions amateur observing time large professional scarce deep impact scientists called advanced amateur student professional use small long term observations target impact purpose observations look volatile dust coma development dust production rates dust tail development jet activity amateur submitted thousand images notable amateur observation students schools hawaii working scientists press conference took live images hawaii students operated internet groups images impact amateur reported seeing bright cloud estimated magnitude increase impact amateur published map crash area nasa images musical tribute deep impact mission coincided celebrations los_angeles area marking 50th anniversary rock clock rock roll single reach recording sales charts hours mission success minute music video produced created images impact combined computer animation deep impact probe flight interspersed footage performing surviving original members performing march video posted nasa website couple weeks july surviving original members ranging age performed free concert hundreds employees help celebrate mission success event received worldwide press attention february citation officially named included reference concert extended mission deep impact embarked extended mission designated planet observation deep impact extended investigation visit sleep completion mission plan extended visit complications july deep impact executed trajectory correction maneuver allows spacecraft use earth gravity begin new mission path original plan december coming kilometers deep impact team leader explained propose direct spacecraft investigate results found unique found million mission provide half information collision fraction cost deep impact use study surface composition viewing surface features earth gravity assist approached unable locate broken pieces faint observed consequently orbit calculated sufficient precision permit team targeted deep impact require extra years travel deep impact burn seconds conducted enable june earth fly transit fly november velocity change november deep impact extended mission returned images came kilometers returning detailed photographs shaped nucleus bright jets probe medium resolution instrument captured photographs deep impact observed february april variety filters astronomical units sun spacecraft found varies period hours presumed rotation nucleus dry ice content measured found percent water ice content number molecules possible mission end deep impact targeted reach january time targeting related science mission carried determined based nasa budget health probe second engine burn october changed probe velocity mission track february deep impact observed remained march contact lost end mission september mission update posted mission status website stating communication spacecraft lost time august august communication august team august determined cause problem team trying determine best try recover communication september deep impact mission status report explained mission controllers believe computers spacecraft continuously unable issue commands vehicle result problem communication spacecraft explained difficult orientation vehicle unknown additionally solar panels vehicle longer positioned correctly generating power september nasa abandoned attempts contact craft according probable reason software malfunction like problem august tenth seconds january
Deep Impact (spacecraft)