MESSENGER flies past Mercury, suffers power glitch
Posted: Thu, Oct 1, 2009, 5:45 AM ET (0945 GMT)
A NASA spacecraft made its third flyby of the planet Mercury on Tuesday, but a problem with the spacecraft's power system caused the spacecraft to go into space mode, disrupting scientific observations. The MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft made its closest approach to the planet at 5:55 pm EDT (2155 GMT) Tuesday, passing 228 kilometers above the planet's surface. The flyby was the last of three planned for the spacecraft before it goes into orbit around the planet in March 2011. While the spacecraft took some images and collected other data as it approached the planet, MESSENGER went into safe mode about four minutes before closest approach. Project officials believe that "an unexpected configuration of the power system" while the spacecraft was in the planet's shadow triggered the safe mode. All the data collected prior to entering safe mode has been transmitted to Earth, although planned observations during closest approach were lost.
A NASA spacecraft made its third flyby of the planet Mercury on Tuesday, but a problem with the spacecraft's power system caused the spacecraft to go into space mode, disrupting scientific observations. The MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft made its closest approach to the planet at 5:55 pm EDT (2155 GMT) Tuesday, passing 228 kilometers above the planet's surface. The flyby was the last of three planned for the spacecraft before it goes into orbit around the planet in March 2011. While the spacecraft took some images and collected other data as it approached the planet, MESSENGER went into safe mode about four minutes before closest approach. Project officials believe that "an unexpected configuration of the power system" while the spacecraft was in the planet's shadow triggered the safe mode. All the data collected prior to entering safe mode has been transmitted to Earth, although planned observations during closest approach were lost.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, February 11
Jet Propulsion Laboratory anticipating major cuts in NASA budget
KPCC-FM Pasadena, CA — 4:06 pm ET (2106 GMT) Satellites spot Syrian violence from space
Spaceflight Now — 4:05 pm ET (2105 GMT) One giant leap for former fast-food joint
Mountain View (CA) Voice — 4:04 pm ET (2104 GMT) Orion hoping for success with second generation parachute system
NasaSpaceFlight.com — 8:53 am ET (1353 GMT) Small company is sky-high
Santa Maria (CA) Times — 8:01 am ET (1301 GMT) |