Mars Global Surveyor Died from Single Bad Command

wattsup writes "The LA Times reports that a single wrong command sent to the wrong computer address caused a cascade of events that led to the loss of the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft last November. The command was an orientation instruction for the spacecraft's main communications antenna. The mistake caused a problem with the positioning of the solar power panels, which in turned caused one of the batteries to overheat, shutting down the solar power system and draining the batteries some 12 hours later. 'The review panel found the management team followed existing procedures in dealing with the problem, but those procedures were inadequate to catch the errors that occurred. The review also said the spacecraft's onboard fault-protection system failed to respond correctly to the errors. Instead of protecting the spacecraft, the programmed response made it worse.'"

Comments

Solar panel caused battery to overheat ?

[Ace905]

The article mentions that a new round of global-warming may be taking place on Mars - does this lend any credence to the theory that global warming is an unavoidable solar event? Maybe Mars and Earth switch off and on in turns - making one hospitable to life while the other becomes a desolate barren wasteland. Maybe we all just need to move 35 Million Miles away.

Sometimes I feel like I need to.

Also, The slashdot write-up says a, 'wrong command to the wrong computer address'. It was the right command, to the wrong computer address. If you're going to just play 'telephone' entering stories, pay attention. You made it more complicated and wrong. Maybe you should go work for NASA; got some diapers and surgical tubing?

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Diapers and surgical tubing!