I find it quaint that so much of the Deep Space Network is essentially “shout really loudly at the spacecraft with giant radio dishes”. Future missions will probably make use of laser relay networks, but since there are still so many currently operating missions which use radio, it seems like these dishes will be with us for a long time.
I’m glad that a bunch of startups made the cut. It makes sense that Maiaspace got in, as an arm of Ariane, but they’re probably less strapped for cash. And thank goodness at least two have reusable concepts, PLD and Maia.
Yeah, it’s a solid bunch. We’re coming up on ten years since the first Falcon 9 booster landing. Multiple chinese companies are developing F9 clones. Europe really ought to be testing reusable boosters by now. Hopefully at least one of these will work out.
Smaller than a strawberry seed, this tiny signal amplifier was produced by the European Space Agency to fill a missing link in current technology, helping to make future radar-observing and telecommunications space missions feasible.
“This integrated circuit is a low noise amplifier, measuring just 1.8 by 0.9 mm across,” explains ESA microwave engineer David Cuadrado-Calle. “Delivering state of the art performance, the low noise amplifier’s task is to boost very faint signals to usable levels.”
Analysis shows that one temperature measurement exceeded a pre-defined limit and that the flight software correctly triggered a shut down
Sounds like the fix is changing the start up procedure such that it doesn’t reach the temperature limit. It would be nice to know why it went outside what they deemed safe but I guess it is rocket science.
Yes, not really the complete picture of what happened.
Would have there been actual damage to the system or even destruction if the software did not shut down? Or was the temperature threshold set too conservative? Did the thermal simulations not match the observed temperatures and if so why?
What’s the solution to this problem now for the next flight?
If it reenables European sovereign and independent access to space it’s a success. Fingers crossed that it’s also as reliably as A5. Commercially I agree.
Heard about the Enceladus model at ESTEC's Open Day. Makes me think of navigating icy terrains! Anyone else get a Snow Rider 3D vibe imagining exploring alien landscapes? It's cool to see real-world science inspiring thoughts of virtual exploration. Hope the study team is having a great day sharing their mission concept.
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