Orbital Express suffers anomaly
Posted: Thu, May 17, 2007, 6:29 AM ET (1029 GMT)
A pair of spacecraft launched earlier this year to test satellite servicing technologies are drifting apart from one another after suffering a computer problem. The Orbital Express mission, launched in March, consists of a pair of satellites, NextSat and ASTRO, designed to autonomously rendezvous and dock with each other and test the ability to service spacecraft in orbit. After several earlier, successful tests, the two spacecraft drifted apart last week after ASTRO suffered a problem with a flight computer and moved away from NextSat to avoid a potential collision. Satellite watchers have noticed that the two spacecraft are now as much as five kilometers apart. Project officials said while they're uncertain of the root cause of the problem, they plan to bring the two spacecraft closer together soon, using a backup flight computer on ASTRO.
A pair of spacecraft launched earlier this year to test satellite servicing technologies are drifting apart from one another after suffering a computer problem. The Orbital Express mission, launched in March, consists of a pair of satellites, NextSat and ASTRO, designed to autonomously rendezvous and dock with each other and test the ability to service spacecraft in orbit. After several earlier, successful tests, the two spacecraft drifted apart last week after ASTRO suffered a problem with a flight computer and moved away from NextSat to avoid a potential collision. Satellite watchers have noticed that the two spacecraft are now as much as five kilometers apart. Project officials said while they're uncertain of the root cause of the problem, they plan to bring the two spacecraft closer together soon, using a backup flight computer on ASTRO.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Starship explodes during preparations for static-fire test
Posted: Sun, Jun 22 6:52 AM ET (1052 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Monday, June 30
Starlink subscriptions drops 11% in Kenya as Safaricom 5G routers win over users
Techcabal — 5:42 am ET (0942 GMT) Citizens file appeal against 40 Starlink satellite antennae planned in Swiss village
Swissinfo — 5:41 am ET (0941 GMT) Can Starlink stay ahead in satellite internet?
NPR — 5:41 am ET (0941 GMT) Blue Origin successfully launches latest human flight from West Texas
KTSM-TV El Paso — 5:39 am ET (0939 GMT) Blue Origin N-S 33 lifts off
KVIA-TV El Paso, TX — 5:39 am ET (0939 GMT) |
