Look, we've sent space probes to Jupiter and Mars – makes sense to keep them going a while longer, says NASA
- Reference: 1610538311
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/01/13/nasa_juno_insight/
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Officials consulted an independent review panel of scientists and engineers for advice on what to do with the spacecraft, as both had passed their original planned mission durations. Considering both are still in pretty good shape, the space agency decided to keep them in operation.
[1]
"The Senior Review has validated that these two planetary science missions are likely to continue to bring new discoveries, and produce new questions about our solar system," [2]said Lori Glaze, NASA’s director of the planetary science division.
Space Extenders The Register has an excellent series on extending the shelf life of spacecraft, including interviews with the engineers and techies who made it happen, which you can read [3]here .
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She added: "I thank the members of the Senior Review panel for their comprehensive analysis and thank the mission teams as well, who will now continue to provide exciting opportunities to refine our understanding of the dynamic science of Jupiter and Mars."
Launched in 2011, Juno was originally expected to fly for seven years but has been ticking away for over nine years now. As the second spacecraft to orbit the Solar System’s largest planet, the solar-powered bird was designed to take more detailed measurements of Jupiter’s gravitational and magnetic fields, its magnetosphere, and its chemical composition.
The plucky spacecraft has helped scientists discover a number of interesting facts, such as the surprising amount of [5]water at its equator , [6]how lightning strikes at its poles , and the shrinking size of its [7]Giant Red Spot storm.
Galileo got it wrong – official: Jupiter actually wet, not super-dry: 'No one would have guessed that water might be so variable across the planet' [8]READ MORE
NASA planned to deorbit Juno later this year on 30 July, where it would descend into Jupiter’s atmosphere and disintegrate. But the spacecraft has been given a new lease on life and will plow through until 2025, unless it breaks down first. The probe will be directed to the planet’s rings and numerous moons, and is expected to make close flybys of targets Ganymede, Europa and Io.
The InSight mission hasn’t gone as smoothly. The lander’s infamous burrowing probe, nicknamed The Mole, has suffered a [9]series of mishaps that prevented it from getting deep into the surface of Mars to take the planet’s temperature. InSight, however, has soldiered on and has done some good work since it was launched in 2018.
Its other functional instruments have uncovered interior grumblings from [10]marsquakes , possible [11]pools of water below ground, and even detected [12]solar eclipses on the Red Planet. NASA wants the lander to continue investigating what goes on beneath the surface until 2022.
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"InSight's extended mission will focus on producing a long-duration, high quality seismic dataset," it said in a statement. "Continued operation of its weather station and burial of the seismic tether using the spacecraft's Instrument Deployment Arm (IDA), will contribute to the quality of this seismic dataset." ®
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[2] https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-extends-exploration-for-two-planetary-science-missions/
[3] https://search.theregister.com/?q=Space+Extenders&advanced=1&author=Richard+Speed&date=the+dawn+of+time&results_per_page=20
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_science/front&sz=300x250%7C300x252%7C300x600&tile=3&c=33X-8nJecs91JVtZ6xg-zxRwAAAEc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-020-1009-3
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2018/06/07/thunderstorms_on_jupiter_look_like_ones_on_earth/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2016/07/27/jupiters_giant_red_spot_cranks_up_the_heat_in_the_planets_atmosphere/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2020/02/20/water_on_jupiter/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2020/10/18/nasa_insight_mole/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2019/10/02/nasa_marsquake/
[11] https://www.americaspace.com/2019/09/27/nasas-insight-lander-on-mars-discovers-odd-magnetic-pulses-and-water/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2020/09/05/insight_mars_eclipse/
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[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: As well it should
In principle you are right, but these things do bind both money, communication time / signal transmission slots and manpower (= more money). If the money (and trained staff) are required elsewhere (like getting the space elevator finished or somesuch) they need to be assigned to that other project. It is a matter of getting the priorities straight and then maximising some sort of value (however that will be defined) by efficient ressource use. Still, same as you, I would argue that extending a mission while it delivers interesting (and that is the caveat!) science is an extremely efficient use of resources, should priorities allow for it (like having a race to the moon you want to win with a presidential deadline or whatever).
Re: As well it should
If it ain't broke don't fix it. The cost and time of sending 2 pieces of new kit to collect the data makes it a cheap investment.
> "Continued operation of its weather station
From the data I've recived via the InSight Mars Weather API over the last 6 months that weather station is not functional or barely functional at best. Weeks and weeks of data are missing temperature, wind speed and wind direction measurements with only atmospheric pressure present. :(
Europa
The probe will be directed to the planet’s rings and numerous moons, and is expected to make close flybys of targets Ganymede, Europa and Io.
Careful with Europa. Wouldn't want it to break down and land there.
Re: Europa
What about my Opa?
sorry.
----> coat, exit stage right.
Re: Europa
It'll be fine... We just need to make sure the probes not become self-aware first.
Mines the one full of stars...
As well it should
They're working and they're on site, why abandon them ?
Given the time it took and the cost of sending them, the missions should continue for as long as they are in working order.
Anything less would be a colossal waste of effort.