Fri, Nov 17, 2006
Agency Hopes Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Can Help
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) still isn't talking, but NASA
scientists think they might be able to find out why. Program
engineers lost contact with the orbiter on November 5th and
repeated attempts to reestablish contact have failed.
Now, NASA has a new plan. The agency will use its Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) to look for MGS. The only problem?
Since it lost contact, NASA doesn't know for sure exactly where the
errant craft is.
Team Lead for Lockheed Martin Space System Wayne Sidney told
Space.com, "Right now we don't have a great estimate on exactly
where MGS is since it has been out of contact for a while."
While not known for sure, scientists are guessing MGS may have
disturbed its own orbit. By extrapolating for it's last known
position, they hope to have at least a general idea of where to
look.
Engineers think if Surveyor can be located and photographed they
might better understand what's wrong with it. Scientists plan to
start with a wide-angle long-exposure using a high resolution
camera on the Reconnaissance orbiter. If they can catch Surveyor on
the shot, they can zoom in and take a close-up.
NASA is most interested in seeing what direction the lost
craft's antenna is pointed. The agency would also like to see the
position of the MGS solar panels.
The craft last communicated with NASA on November 5th, but that
message was only a carrier with no data. Before that, MGS had
reported a problem with one of its solar panels. NASA has since
attempted contact with the orbiter using its most powerful radio
dishes to no avail.
MGS is the oldest of six active spacecraft around Mars. It's
original mission was to map Mars for roughly two years.
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