NASA to store pair of probes it's built but can’t send to target asteroids
(2023/07/13)
- Reference: 1689222938
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2023/07/13/nasa_janus_satellites_stored/
- Source link:
NASA's Box Full Of Old Tech It Should Probably Have Thrown Out But Kept Just In Case (BFOOTISPHTOBKJIC) was already probably the world's coolest collection of such cruft, but is now set to gain a pair of fully functional space probes it's decided not to launch.
The probes are the two Janus satellites that NASA planned to launch in 2022 as part of the Psyche mission. As The Register has [1]reported , that mission has blown deadline after deadline – including the one for delivery of its [2]flight software – and is now slated for liftoff in October.
The mission will visit an asteroid thought to be comprised of nickel-iron and therefore to resemble Earth's core, perhaps offering insight into how our home and other planets formed.
[3]
Janus was a ride-along mission that aimed to send a pair of small satellites to visit binary asteroids – objects humanity is yet to see up close.
[4]
[5]
NASA [6]describes the sats as "about the size of a carry-on suitcase" but weighing about 36kg apiece. Try sneaking those onto a budget airline!
But we digress. Delays to Psyche's launch meant that the asteroids NASA wanted to visit with Janus moved on. The aerospace agency tried to find new targets for the twin probes, but in November 2022 [7]removed them from the Psyche mission manifest after determining the probes could reach neither their intended target nor any appropriate alternative.
[8]Perseverance reveals more detail on Martian organic chemistry
[9]NASA humanoid robot to be tested as remote oil rig attendant
[10]NASA 'quiet' supersonic jet is nearly ready for flight
[11]Mars helicopter phones home after 63 days of silence
Now NASA has decided what to do with the Janus probes: dump 'em in the BFOOTISPHTOBKJIC.
NASA put it more delicately, [12]writing : "After considering the opportunities and requirements for alternative missions using the twin spacecraft, and the expected resources available to planetary science in the next few years, NASA has decided to stand down further work on the Janus mission."
[13]
The agency will therefore "prepare them for storage in the event that future funding may enable an opportunity to utilize the spacecraft." NASA secured a budget of $55 million for Janus and appears to have kept costs below the $50 million mark. Contracted work will be completed – good news for Lockheed Martin, which [14]made the craft using a design it's employed for other commercial projects.
NASA operates a [15]property disposal management policy and [16]programs to loan some of its artifacts available to museums and educational institutions.
So if anyone has a use for Janus, NASA's clearly not using it any time soon. ®
Get our [17]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2023/06/07/nasa_asteroid_psyche_mission/
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2022/06/27/psyche_delay/
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZK-LR6jwH@vj9SQDbkNmQgAAAcA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZK-LR6jwH@vj9SQDbkNmQgAAAcA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZK-LR6jwH@vj9SQDbkNmQgAAAcA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-simplex-mission-to-send-smallsats-on-longest-deep-space-journey-to-date
[7] https://blogs.nasa.gov/janus/2022/11/18/janus-mission-removed-from-2023-psyche-launch-manifest/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/12/perseverance_data_provides_more_detail/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/10/nasa_to_test_humanoid_robot/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/07/nasa_quiet_supersonic_jet/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/03/ingenuity_mars_helicopter_contact_established/
[12] https://blogs.nasa.gov/janus/2023/07/11/nasa-to-store-janus-spacecraft-mission-to-study-asteroid-systems/
[13] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZK-LR6jwH@vj9SQDbkNmQgAAAcA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2023/03/29/lockheed_martin_moon/
[15] https://www.nasa.gov/offices/LMD/programs/property_disposal_management
[16] https://www.nasa.gov/aeroresearch/resources/artifact-opportunities
[17] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
The probes are the two Janus satellites that NASA planned to launch in 2022 as part of the Psyche mission. As The Register has [1]reported , that mission has blown deadline after deadline – including the one for delivery of its [2]flight software – and is now slated for liftoff in October.
The mission will visit an asteroid thought to be comprised of nickel-iron and therefore to resemble Earth's core, perhaps offering insight into how our home and other planets formed.
[3]
Janus was a ride-along mission that aimed to send a pair of small satellites to visit binary asteroids – objects humanity is yet to see up close.
[4]
[5]
NASA [6]describes the sats as "about the size of a carry-on suitcase" but weighing about 36kg apiece. Try sneaking those onto a budget airline!
But we digress. Delays to Psyche's launch meant that the asteroids NASA wanted to visit with Janus moved on. The aerospace agency tried to find new targets for the twin probes, but in November 2022 [7]removed them from the Psyche mission manifest after determining the probes could reach neither their intended target nor any appropriate alternative.
[8]Perseverance reveals more detail on Martian organic chemistry
[9]NASA humanoid robot to be tested as remote oil rig attendant
[10]NASA 'quiet' supersonic jet is nearly ready for flight
[11]Mars helicopter phones home after 63 days of silence
Now NASA has decided what to do with the Janus probes: dump 'em in the BFOOTISPHTOBKJIC.
NASA put it more delicately, [12]writing : "After considering the opportunities and requirements for alternative missions using the twin spacecraft, and the expected resources available to planetary science in the next few years, NASA has decided to stand down further work on the Janus mission."
[13]
The agency will therefore "prepare them for storage in the event that future funding may enable an opportunity to utilize the spacecraft." NASA secured a budget of $55 million for Janus and appears to have kept costs below the $50 million mark. Contracted work will be completed – good news for Lockheed Martin, which [14]made the craft using a design it's employed for other commercial projects.
NASA operates a [15]property disposal management policy and [16]programs to loan some of its artifacts available to museums and educational institutions.
So if anyone has a use for Janus, NASA's clearly not using it any time soon. ®
Get our [17]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2023/06/07/nasa_asteroid_psyche_mission/
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2022/06/27/psyche_delay/
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZK-LR6jwH@vj9SQDbkNmQgAAAcA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZK-LR6jwH@vj9SQDbkNmQgAAAcA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZK-LR6jwH@vj9SQDbkNmQgAAAcA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-simplex-mission-to-send-smallsats-on-longest-deep-space-journey-to-date
[7] https://blogs.nasa.gov/janus/2022/11/18/janus-mission-removed-from-2023-psyche-launch-manifest/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/12/perseverance_data_provides_more_detail/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/10/nasa_to_test_humanoid_robot/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/07/nasa_quiet_supersonic_jet/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/03/ingenuity_mars_helicopter_contact_established/
[12] https://blogs.nasa.gov/janus/2023/07/11/nasa-to-store-janus-spacecraft-mission-to-study-asteroid-systems/
[13] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZK-LR6jwH@vj9SQDbkNmQgAAAcA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2023/03/29/lockheed_martin_moon/
[15] https://www.nasa.gov/offices/LMD/programs/property_disposal_management
[16] https://www.nasa.gov/aeroresearch/resources/artifact-opportunities
[17] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Umm...
chuckufarley
...Can they run Crysis?
Re: Umm...
42656e4d203239
>>>...Can they run Crysis?
Yes, but for very special values of 'run'....
Satellite design 101
An introductory course in designing a science based satellite and getting it finished and to the launch pad before the target of the mission disappears over the horizon or the tech is far too dated.
The sats and a full set of documents, design notes and theory of operation would be invaluable to a university that teaches aerospace engineering. These satellites aren't too horribly out of date so they'd be good teaching tools if they aren't going anywhere.
I'd love to see full docs available for Mars Exploration Rovers. If there is anything that can't be released, somebody better have a damn good reason why. Those would be great college course projects to build and even a bunch of fun for a Maker group. Once you've deleted any requirements for the rover being constructed with space rated components, the batteries can be replaced so there's less need for extreme power management/solar power, they wouldn't be that expensive to build and it would provide an excellent reference design for a robot that's known to work exceptionally well. If NASA were smart, they'd have a web page for people to submit their builds with the sorts of improvements they've made and the sorts of 'missions' they used the rovers to perform. I know plenty of very smart engineers that could never get a job with a national space agency as they don't hold an advanced degree, can't pass a background check, their country doesn't have one, etc. It doesn't mean they aren't very clever people that can contribute.