NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter put itself in safe mode last week after one of its three reaction wheels malfunctioned. The three reaction wheels work together to keep the craft properly oriented in space.
Odyssey has been in orbit around Mars since 2001, and has been a key element in NASA's exploration efforts. It has produced the first mineralogocial and chemical maps of the planet and established that huge amounts of water ice exists under the surface of Mars. Odyssey has also served as a relay station for NASA's Mars rovers, and will continue in that role for the Curiosity rover, scheduled to land on Mars in August.
The spacecraft has a spare reaction wheel, and is still in communication with NASA engineers. Those engineers are presently deciding what to do next.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment