Posted: Wed, Oct 8, 2003, 10:08 AM ET (1408 GMT)
NASA announced this week that its Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) has resumed operations using a second laser after an initial laser failed earlier this year. ICESat, launched in January, carries three lasers that are used primarily to measure the elevation of ice sheets, along with measurements of land elevation and aerosols in the atmosphere. The first laser on ICESat failed on March 29 after providing just 36 days of data. NASA said it plans to issue a report on the laser failure in the near future, but SpaceRef reported Tuesday that the failure was caused when components made of the elements gold and indium came into contact with one another, causing a reaction that led to the failure of the unit. The same design flaw also exists in the other two lasers on ICESat, suggesting that they may fail before the spacecraft reaches the end of its three-year design life.

Related Links:

•  NASA press release
•  SpaceRef article