BEpiColombo Mercury mission suffers thruster problem
Posted: Sun, May 19, 2024, 7:55 AM ET (1155 GMT)
Engineers are troubleshooting a problem with the electric propulsion system on the BepiColombo mission. That spacecraft, a joint mission of ESA and JAXA, will go into orbit around Mercury after performing several flybys, using electric thrusters to adjust its trajectory. Those thrusters lost power last month just before the next scheduled maneuver. By last week the thrusters were back to 90% of their original power, but the spacecraft is still suffering from reduced electrical power. ESA said that BepiColombo should still be able to perform its next Mercury flyby in September as engineers work to determine how reduced power levels might affect future maneuvers if the problem cannot be fixed.
Engineers are troubleshooting a problem with the electric propulsion system on the BepiColombo mission. That spacecraft, a joint mission of ESA and JAXA, will go into orbit around Mercury after performing several flybys, using electric thrusters to adjust its trajectory. Those thrusters lost power last month just before the next scheduled maneuver. By last week the thrusters were back to 90% of their original power, but the spacecraft is still suffering from reduced electrical power. ESA said that BepiColombo should still be able to perform its next Mercury flyby in September as engineers work to determine how reduced power levels might affect future maneuvers if the problem cannot be fixed.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Monday, July 20
Attacking Starlink
National Review — 4:12 am ET (0812 GMT) Starlink Launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base Scheduled for Monday Morning
KEYT-TV Santa Barbara, CA — 4:11 am ET (0811 GMT) Could space could become Korea’s next powerhouse industry after chips?
JoongAng Daily — 4:11 am ET (0811 GMT) Commentary: Canaveral’s Exploration Tower could inspire new space age
Orlando Sentinel — 4:09 am ET (0809 GMT) SpaceX to launch Falcon 9 rocket out of Vandenberg Space Force Base
KSBY-TV San Luis Obispo, CA — 4:08 am ET (0808 GMT) |
