Re: Smart 1 -- AMIGA Astronomy

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Subject: Re: Smart 1

Author:
benigni charles

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Date Posted: 13:51:22 01/30/04 Fri
In reply to: Mark 's message, "Smart 1" on 15:46:02 09/28/03 Sun

The European Space Agency are working on software they hope to transmit, and fix the Smart 1 probe, next week.

There have been problems with the engine switching off repeatedly. The onboard circuitry is sensitive to high-energy protons from the sun, which generate rogue voltage spikes. The usual solution is to incorporate capacitors into the circuits to absorb any voltage surges.
However, it was found that this feature had been <b>omitted</b> from some key circuits. So when a high-energy proton hits a particular optical sensor, it generates a spike that causes the on-board computer to switch off the engine...

The problem has been exacerbated by the high radiation levels the spacecraft experienced while passing through the Earth's radiation belt, and by the increased solar activity in recent months.

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