Engineers believe the transmitter's power supply failed, leaving Ulysses without use of its heaters or science instruments. "The decision to switch the transmitter off was not taken lightly. It was the only way to continue the science mission," said ESA mission manager Richard Marsden. "We expect certain parts of the spacecraft to reach 2 degrees Celsius pretty soon," he added. At that temperature, Ulysses' fuel will freeze in its pipes, leaving it unable to maneuver. Scientists hope to continue operating Ulysses through its low-energy backup communications antenna for a few more weeks. "We will squeeze the very last drops of science out of it that we can," Marsden said. Ulysses lasted more than three times its five-year design life. In addition to its solar studies, the spacecraft studied cosmic rays, tracked gamma ray bursts and conducted a search for gravitational waves. Related Links : |
advertisement
Download Space News!
|
-
our sites
-
video
mobile
-
shop
-
stay connected
-
corporate
