PFS issue on Venus Express, PFS scanner stuck in its closed position |
PFS issue on Venus Express, PFS scanner stuck in its closed position |
Mar 21 2006, 09:03 PM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 370 Joined: 12-September 05 From: France Member No.: 495 |
Bad news for PFS. I hope they will be able to solve this issue.
The PFS scanner is stuck in its closed position. Several attempts to move it were made at the time, but the instrument did not respond. Experts suspected a thermal problem by which low temperatures were blocking the rotation of the mechanism. Another attempt to move the scanner was made on 16 March 2006, in warmer flight conditions. Unfortunately, the scanner remains stuck. The next opportunity to perform another test on the spacecraft will be end of April, after the Venus Orbit Insertion. From http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/in...fobjectid=38964 |
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Mar 22 2006, 03:21 PM
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2454 Joined: 8-July 05 From: NGC 5907 Member No.: 430 |
The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory almost didn't happen due to
the satellite's high-gain antenna being stuck by a wrapped-around wire during its launch in April of 1991. Fortunately for that mission, it had been sent up by the Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-37), so EVAing astronaut Jerry Ross was able to fix the problem by hand after repeated commands from the ground and even using the robot arm failed to do the trick. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-37 -------------------- "After having some business dealings with men, I am occasionally chagrined,
and feel as if I had done some wrong, and it is hard to forget the ugly circumstance. I see that such intercourse long continued would make one thoroughly prosaic, hard, and coarse. But the longest intercourse with Nature, though in her rudest moods, does not thus harden and make coarse. A hard, sensible man whom we liken to a rock is indeed much harder than a rock. From hard, coarse, insensible men with whom I have no sympathy, I go to commune with the rocks, whose hearts are comparatively soft." - Henry David Thoreau, November 15, 1853 |
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Mar 22 2006, 05:27 PM
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#3
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Member Group: Members Posts: 624 Joined: 10-August 05 Member No.: 460 |
QUOTE It IS inappropriate to bring Iraq into it, to use a rather crude phrasology when refering to the Italians and to have a post that saying nothing but "Grrrrrrrrr" As long as we all agree it is very frustrating to have yet another space mission placed in jeopardy because the spring in the Jack-in-the-box does not work. The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory almost didn't happen due to the satellite's high-gain antenna being stuck by a wrapped-around wire during its launch in April of 1991. Fortunately for that mission, it had been sent up by the Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-37), so EVAing astronaut Jerry Ross was able to fix the problem by hand after repeated commands from the ground and even using the robot arm failed to do the trick. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-37 In my next IR&D funding request, I am going to propose building a satellobit - a little dude with strong clasps and a good lever arm, who could wrestle with stubborn booms, valves, shields, clasps, whatever. Include one in every mission - even a robotic eye camera that could aid in the diagnose root causes would be helpful. We have got to pay more attention, money and weight allowances to system health assessment and managagement. |
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Mar 22 2006, 06:58 PM
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#4
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14448 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
As long as we all agree it is very frustrating to have yet another space mission placed in jeopardy because the spring in the Jack-in-the-box does not work. Well - the mission is not in jeopardy, it's simply one instrument that's not going to be able to do it's job. I agree, it is highly frustrating, but it's just another reminder that this stuff isn't easy to do. Doug |
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