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FUSE Satellite in Safe Mode
MattHaffner writes "Yesterday, a status report from the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) operations center reports that the satellite is in 'safe mode' after losing (another) reaction wheel--the mechanisms used to point the spacecraft. FUSE had been operating with only two of three original wheels for about two years using a creative solution utilizing the earth's magnetic field. Losing a second wheel for good may mean a serious reduction in science, however. For those keeping track, this is the third major blow to UV astronomy in less than a year. The Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) was due to be installed on the canceled SM4, and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS), a major instrument on HST, failed in 2004 Aug. The infrared is well covered by current and upcoming NASA missions including the Spitzer Space Telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and SOFIA, but ultraviolet astronomy may have a serious dearth of instruments in the near future. While IR is useful for studying dusty environments, star formation, planetary system formation, and red-shifted galaxies, the UV is the best place to study the chemical composition and evolution of interstellar gas, stars, and galaxies since many of the more abundant elements have strong spectral signatures in that region of the spectrum."
Windows hasn't done that since, like, ME. What planet have YOU been living on?
AtariAmarok...but this begs the question, was it running on "Dangerous Mode" before? I mean, that would explain the loss of function here. Er... I mean, "Dangeresque Mode." See how I threw in that pop culture reference there? Bang!
*is run over by rotten tomatoes*
????
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
The Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) http://www.galex.caltech.edu/ is cranking out great science (and spectacular pictures of galaxies...)
Yes, IAAA.
It's the queers. They're in it with the aliens. They're building landing strips for gay Martians. I swear to God.
include $sig;
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At this point there are about seven comments (and mostly with would-be "funny" tags).
This situation represents the level of public interest in UV spectroscopy:
Not very much.
It's a pretty sad day to be an UV astronomer.
Aaahh, I lowered my reading threshold to see if any of the 8 posts so far beat me to this scoop... you win.
*sighs*
I sincerely hope that Hubble can be repaired and upgraded, if only for the UV science.
karma capped
Yeah, but what's someone who went to JHU and worked on a (different) UV telescope project supposed to say? It happens, it's sad. :(
I must say, having a satellite control system in the basement of the physics building is still cool, even without a satellite!
--LWM
FUSE is not dead yet. It sucks to operate with a single inertial torquer, but it's far from dead. A Good thing is that it has been operating with the coarse mode for a long time, and it probably continue to do so with one good wheel. So as long as it goes after point-like sources, it should still be useful.
Or so I hope. FUSE had never achieved its maximum operational capacity; but it might as well hang on with the little that it got. A tough figher.
"This situation represents the level of public interest in UV spectroscopy:
Not very much."
Yep but then at most book stores there are more Astrology books then Astronomy books.
Hope they can get more good science out of FUSE.
See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
Because this satellite was not properly shut down, one of your spinning disks may have errors. To avoid seeing this message again....
Caveat Emptor is not a business model.