Voyager Status, What is it? |
Voyager Status, What is it? |
Dec 6 2006, 05:48 AM
Post
#1
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 428 Joined: 21-August 06 From: Northern Virginia Member No.: 1062 |
Anyone know the latest Voyager status? I've hear rumors, but I'm wondering if anyone has anything more concrete (I won't share the rumors, as I really don't know much about it, so...)
|
|
|
Feb 21 2024, 08:55 PM
Post
#2
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2517 Joined: 13-September 05 Member No.: 497 |
Nice post, but I feel compelled to nit-pick a little, sorry.
QUOTE This is a problem NASA long since solved. These days, every space probe that launches, leaves a perfect duplicate back on Earth. Remember in “The Martian”, how they had another copy of Pathfinder sitting under a tarp in a warehouse? That’s accurate. It’s been standard practice for 30 years. But back in 1977, nobody had thought of that yet. They had all of that for Voyager, they just don't have it today, probably because the hardware died and couldn't be repaired. Missions I've worked on (MGS for example) have been severely challenged late in the mission to keep those resources going. The situation has been improving, but I wouldn't call it "solved". And it is rarely if ever a "perfect duplicate" -- on MGS our MOC ground hardware was a bare circuit board mounted to a big sheet of plywood. The spacecraft simulator is usually what's called a "flatsat" -- a collection of boards on tables or in racks, hardly a complete spacecraft. And good luck finding any of that Pathfinder hardware even today, much less in the near future of "The Martian". All of that stuff was likely scrapped shortly after the mission ended. -------------------- Disclaimer: This post is based on public information only. Any opinions are my own.
|
|
|
Feb 22 2024, 02:06 PM
Post
#3
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 102 Joined: 8-August 12 Member No.: 6511 |
Nice post, but I feel compelled to nit-pick a little, sorry. I would have expected nothing less! QUOTE They had all of that for Voyager, they just don't have it today, probably because the hardware died and couldn't be repaired. Missions I've worked on (MGS for example) have been severely challenged late in the mission to keep those resources going. The situation has been improving, but I wouldn't call it "solved". And it is rarely if ever a "perfect duplicate" -- on MGS our MOC ground hardware was a bare circuit board mounted to a big sheet of plywood. The spacecraft simulator is usually what's called a "flatsat" -- a collection of boards on tables or in racks, hardly a complete spacecraft. Really! TIL. And as for Voyager... they just tossed it? I mean, Voyager's not that big, and storage is cheap... But on the other hand, 46 years is a very long time, I guess. |
|
|
Feb 22 2024, 02:43 PM
Post
#4
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2517 Joined: 13-September 05 Member No.: 497 |
And as for Voyager... they just tossed it? I mean, Voyager's not that big, and storage is cheap... Storage is not as plentiful as you might think on the JPL campus. It could easily be in some off-site storage where no one can find it (think the last scene of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK) and probably non-functional if it could be found. From https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/1988006...5_Optimized.pdf QUOTE The original software development for the data computer has essentially been a two-man show since 1975, beginning when Edgar M. Blizzard joined Richard Rice to develop the flight version of the code. Others have been involved in testing and management, but these two JPL engineers have been the key programmers for the entire mission to date. They sit in the same area as the "Laboratory Test Set," an Interdata computer and peripherals that contain the software simulator of the data computer and the assembler and flight load generator. Across from them is the CDL, the loose conglomeration of hardware that represents the real spacecraft. You want to bet on the chances of an Interdata computer from 1975 still being in working order? I did find emulator support for the Interdata and data files for the Interdata operating system, but finding and reading the unique Voyager software on old tapes if they still exist might be a challenge. Even if anyone knows how those tools work any more. It is a little surprising that they didn't plan ahead for this a bit better, but it's understandable. -------------------- Disclaimer: This post is based on public information only. Any opinions are my own.
|
|
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 27th May 2024 - 09:39 AM |
RULES AND GUIDELINES Please read the Forum Rules and Guidelines before posting. IMAGE COPYRIGHT |
OPINIONS AND MODERATION Opinions expressed on UnmannedSpaceflight.com are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of UnmannedSpaceflight.com or The Planetary Society. The all-volunteer UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderation team is wholly independent of The Planetary Society. The Planetary Society has no influence over decisions made by the UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderators. |
SUPPORT THE FORUM Unmannedspaceflight.com is funded by the Planetary Society. Please consider supporting our work and many other projects by donating to the Society or becoming a member. |