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Glitch Forces Mars Probe Shut-Off

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the your-tax-dollars-at-work dept.

TheEvilOverlord writes to tell us that BBC News is reporting that a 'glitch' has forced the mars probe to switch into a "safe-mode" switching several of its systems off. Perhaps it is just an education tool to show martians the meaning of BSOD.

6 of 158 comments (clear)

  1. Relevant glitches. by moz25 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It seems like glitches and waiting for the right glitch to come along have become an important part of normal operation for these things.

    Why didn't they build in some means of communication for this "safe mode"? I find it rather odd that it is in a known state (safe mode) that is known to be undesirable, yet there is no fallback system (even a timed one) to get it out of this mode? How come?

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    1. Re:Relevant glitches. by petermgreen · · Score: 3, Interesting

      from reading the article it sounds like the safe mode is intended to prevent total loss of the probe in the event of a problem that sucks lots of power.

      the main problem seems to be it takes a while to get it back to normal operation and they'd really like to take some photos of the bit of mars the probe is going over soon

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    2. Re:Relevant glitches. by Tablizer · · Score: 3, Interesting

      There also seems to be a trade-off between power and communication. If the craft does not have to worry about pointing its high-gain antenna toward earth, then it can instead focus on pointing toward the sun. In an emergancy, it is nice to have plenty of power.

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      Table-ized A.I.
    3. Re:Relevant glitches. by srleffler · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I can guess. From TFA, in safe mode the probe orients its solar panels very directly toward the sun, to maximize the power received. Presumably it uses its rockets to do that, burning lots of fuel. In normal operation, the probe probably keeps its orientation with gyros, and doesn't try to always be pointed exactly at the sun. It would use batteries to keep it running when the received power is low.

  2. What sort of software is this probe running? by CyricZ · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Can anyone provide technical information regarding what software this probe is running? The article itself is very vague (but not surprising, since it's a general-consumption BBC article).

    Which embedded OS is it running? What language and programming system was used to develop the application software for it? Details, please.

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  3. In Loving Memory of Krystal Koch by xenoxaos · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I have a high emotional stake in the mars missions. Recently a good highschool friend of mine passed away in a plane crash. She was a co-op at NASA. In recognition for her work on the Mars reconnaissance orbiter, her memory and name were launched into space with with it. Krys, We love you. Story: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8931065/