SOHO enters blackout period
Posted: Mon, Jun 30, 2003, 7:37 AM ET (1137 GMT)
The NASA-ESA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft entered a blackout period late last week caused by a problem with the spacecraft's main antenna. Telemetry from SOHO's high-gain antenna ended at 7:50 pm EDT (2350 GMT) Thursday and is not expected to be reestablished until at least July 14. Project officials reported earlier this month that the motor used to move the antenna failed, preventing the antenna from maintaining its link to the Earth. Efforts to correct the problem have not worked to date, although engineers continue to work on ways to either get the motor working again or come up with alternate techniques to keep the antenna pointed towards the Earth. During the blackout period controllers will keep tabs on the spacecraft through a low-gain antenna on SOHO, but no scientific data will be returned and the spacecraft's instruments are in a safe mode. Those instruments and other spacecraft systems continue to be in good health.
The NASA-ESA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft entered a blackout period late last week caused by a problem with the spacecraft's main antenna. Telemetry from SOHO's high-gain antenna ended at 7:50 pm EDT (2350 GMT) Thursday and is not expected to be reestablished until at least July 14. Project officials reported earlier this month that the motor used to move the antenna failed, preventing the antenna from maintaining its link to the Earth. Efforts to correct the problem have not worked to date, although engineers continue to work on ways to either get the motor working again or come up with alternate techniques to keep the antenna pointed towards the Earth. During the blackout period controllers will keep tabs on the spacecraft through a low-gain antenna on SOHO, but no scientific data will be returned and the spacecraft's instruments are in a safe mode. Those instruments and other spacecraft systems continue to be in good health.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
NASA to launch Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope in September
Posted: Sat, Apr 25 10:54 AM ET (1454 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Tuesday, April 28
DOD budget proposes new $250 million space operations center on Schriever
Colorado Springs Gazette — 4:58 am ET (0858 GMT) US Picks Companies for Golden Dome Weapon That Might Not Be Affordable
Business Insider — 4:58 am ET (0858 GMT) S. Korea nears completion of five-satellite network to monitor North Korea
Korea Herald — 4:57 am ET (0857 GMT) Atlas V rocket successfully launches Amazon satellites from Cape Canaveral
WESH-TV Orlando — 4:55 am ET (0855 GMT) SpaceX Details Bumps To Starship V3 First Flight
Aviation Week — 4:54 am ET (0854 GMT) |
