[amsat-bb] Re: NASA Kills Ulysses

[Armando Mercado]

Hi All,

The title of this post paints an inaccurate picture
of this joint ESA/NASA mission.  Ulysses power
supply (RTG) is not producing enough power
anymore to run its instruments and heaters to
keep its propellant from freezing.  Ulysses was
due to be retired last year, but controllers devised
a clever method of firing its thrusters every 2 hours
to keep things warm.  The tanks are virtually empty
now.  Also its X-band transmitter failed leaving only
it S-band transmitter running at 512 bps.

Ulysses is currently 5 AU from earth with a 45 min.
1-way light time..to far away to act as an amateur
communication satellite in its decommissioned after
live, but it's an interesting mental exercise.

See the follow for more:
   
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMWHF1P0WF_index_0.html


> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 09:00:01 -0700
> From: Clint Bradford <clintbrad4d at earthlink.net>
> Subject: [amsat-bb]  NASA Kills Ulysses
> To: amsat-bb at amsat.org
> Message-ID: <B95E6E7F-69B9-49F0-B639-ACD8527B1D87 at earthlink.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
> 
> After 18 years of operation, NASA has switched off Ulysses, the space  
> probe designed to study the properties of solar wind, the heliosphere  
> magnetic field, and the solar radio bursts that can greatly affect our  
> gadgets, telecommunications, and every electronic system here on  
> planet Earth. It was the first object to see and study our Sun's poles.
> 
> Read Ulysses Mission Operations Manager Nigel's email message to the  
> Ulysses community ...
> 
> http://tinyurl.com/mvneu4
> 
> Clint Bradford, K6LCS
> 909-241-7666