Satellite News

During last weekend ESA lost contact with its XMM-Newton X-ray observatory. However, a feeble radio signal has been heard, and ground-based observations confirm that the spacecraft is intact. XMM-Newton has operated faultlessly in orbit for almost nine years, close to its design life-time.

Activation of Hubble Space Telescope science instruments and resumption of science observations has been suspended following two anomalies seen in systems onboard the telescope. The science payload will likely stay in safe mode for another week. Spacecraft operations are not affected.

After the recent failure of the Hubble Control Unit/Science Data Formatter – Side A (CU/SDF-A), NASA has decided to go ahead with the switch to Side B on 15 October. If all goes well, the space telescope could resume sending scientific data on 17 October.

The next and last Hubble repair mission might be further delayed, reports New Scientist. Although a ground-stored replacement for the satellite’s defunct science data formatter is available, it may need more testing than previously thought.

Researchers at Queen’s University are developing a new robotic system to service more than 8,000 satellites now orbiting the Earth, beyond the flight range of ground-based repair operations.

There are still contradicting statements as to what exactly caused the recent outage of the GIOVE-B test satellite.

ESA has dismissed reports that claimed the recent computer glitch aboard GIOVE-B was caused by a surge of radiation and called them “speculative.”

The GIOVE-B demonstration satellite went into safe mode on 9 September after being exposed to a temporary surge of radiation, but is now fully functional again.