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Ulysses Spacecraft on its Last Legs

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the at-the-end-of-the-tour-when-the-road-disappears dept.

doconnor writes "JPL announced that Ulysses' mission will be ending after 17 years. The power generated by the decay of a radioactive isotope has been slowly decreasing. To conserve power its main transmitter was shut off. Unfortunately due to a fault in its power supply it cannot be turned back on. The team plans to continue operating the spacecraft in its reduced capacity, using the alternate S-band transmitter, for as long as they can over the next few weeks." Congratulations to all the geniuses involved in this one.

3 of 121 comments (clear)

  1. D'oh by CSMatt · · Score: -1, Troll

    To conserve power its main transmitter was shut off. Unfortunately due to a fault in its power supply it cannot be turned back on. I can only imagine the fit NASA had when they found this out. Millions of dollars for what is now a giant hunk of metal. I sure hope they got something out of the project before transmission was cut off.
    1. Re:D'oh by CSMatt · · Score: 1, Troll

      Damn. I've got to do that more often. My mistake.

  2. Eat shit, Taco by MeditationSensation · · Score: -1, Troll

    Like you could build a spacecraft that lasted for 17 years. What have you done for humanity, Taco? Coded some Perl scripts?