 |
 |
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
Earth monitoring satellite goes silent BY JUSTIN RAY SPACEFLIGHT NOW Posted: October 25, 2003 A $587 million environmental research satellite launched 10 months ago stopped communicating Saturday and is feared dead in space. The Advanced Earth Observing Satellite 2, nicknamed Midori 2, is a joint mission between the Japanese and U.S. space programs to monitor our planet's health from orbit.
At 8:49 a.m., engineers checked the operational status of Midori 2 and found it was switched into a safe mode -- a condition in which all observation equipment is automatically turned off to minimize power consumption. This switch into the safing mode occurred due to an unknown anomaly. Around 8:55 a.m., communications between the satellite and the ground stations became unstable and telemetry was not received, officials said. A tracking station also failed to establish contact with the satellite during later passes at 9:23 and 11:05 a.m. JST. "JAXA is currently analyzing already acquired telemetry data. The analysis result of power generation data by the solar array paddle revealed that generated power has decreased from 6kW to 1kW," the Japanese space agency said in a statement. "JAXA makes our best efforts to have Midori 2 back to its normal operation by continuing to analyze the telemetry data and working on to understand the current condition of the satellite at our domestic and overseas tracking stations. "For anomaly cause investigation, JAXA formed the 'Midori 2 anomaly investigation team' led by the president of JAXA." The satellite was launched aboard an H-2A rocket on December 14, 2002. Its mission was to replace the Midori 1 satellite lost in 1997 by a solar array malfunction that left the spacecraft with no power supply. Midori 2 was expected to last at least three years, using its suite of five scientific payloads for global environmental research. Studies included the distribution of water vapor in the atmosphere, along with ocean winds, sea surface temperatures, and sea ice, monitoring plant life and vegetation in marine areas and keeping tabs on the Earth's ozone layer. Spaceflight Now writer Stephen Clark contributed to this report.
|
|
|
|
Apollo 12 tribute DVD set New! Featuring the jovial crew of Pete Conrad, Dick Gordon and Alan Bean, the Apollo 12 mission was struck by lightning shortly after liftoff but proceeded on the second successful exploration voyage to the lunar surface. This three-disc DVD brings the mission to life with extraordinary detail.  Choose your store:U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide  Fallen Heroes special patch  This special 12-inch embroidered patch commemorates the U.S. astronauts who made the ultimate sacrifice, honoring the crews of Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia.Choose your store:U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Women in Space  Women of Space: Cool Careers on the Final Frontier is for girls, young women, and anyone else interested in learning about exciting careers in space exploration. Includes CD-ROM.Choose your store:U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Mars rover poster  This new poster features some of the best pictures from NASA's amazing Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity.Choose your store:U.S. Current Shuttle Mission Patch  The official embroidered patch for shuttle Atlantis' flight to deliver critical spare equipment to the space station.U.S. STOREWORLDWIDE STOREAres 1-X Patch  The official embroidered patch for the Ares 1-X rocket test flight, is available for purchase.U.S. STOREWORLDWIDE STOREApollo Collage  This beautiful one piece set features the Apollo program emblem surrounded by the individual mission logos.U.S. STOREWORLDWIDE STORE Project Orion  The Orion crew exploration vehicle is NASA's first new human spacecraft developed since the space shuttle a quarter-century earlier. The capsule is one of the key elements of returning astronauts to the Moon.U.S. STOREFallen Heroes Patch Collection  The official patches from Apollo 1, the shuttle Challenger and Columbia crews are available in the store.U.S. STOREWORLDWIDE STOREColumbia Report  The official accident investigation report into the loss of the space shuttle Columbia and its crew of seven. Includes CD-ROM.Choose your store:U.S. Columbia Report  A reproduction of the official accident investigation report into the loss of the space shuttle Columbia and its crew of seven. Choose your store:U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Mars Panorama  DISCOUNTED! This 360 degree image was taken by the Mars Pathfinder, which landed on the Red Planet in July 1997. The Sojourner Rover is visible in the image. Choose your store:U.S. Apollo 11 Mission Report  Apollo 11 - The NASA Mission Reports Vol. 3 is the first comprehensive study of man's first mission to another world is revealed in all of its startling complexity. Includes DVD!Choose your store:U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Rocket DVD  If you've ever watched a launch from Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Vandenberg Air Force Base or even Kodiak Island Alaska, there's no better way to describe what you witnessed than with this DVD.Choose your store:U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Get e-mail updates Sign up for our NewsAlert service and have the latest news in astronomy and space e-mailed direct to your desktop (privacy note: your e-mail address will not be used for any other purpose).
|
|
|
INDEX | PLUS | NEWS ARCHIVE | LAUNCH SCHEDULE ASTRONOMY NOW | STORE ADVERTISE © 2009 Spaceflight Now Inc. |
|||||
