Posted: Sat, Nov 22, 2003, 10:52 AM ET (1552 GMT)
Japanese engineers have just over a week to repair a damaged electrical system on the Mars-bound Nozomi spacecraft if the spacecraft is to successfully go into orbit around the planet. SPACE.com reported Friday that engineers are facing a December 2 deadline to repair or bypass an electrical system damaged during a solar flare last year. The electrical system needs to be restored so that the spacecraft’s thrusters can fire as planned on December 9 to reorient the spacecraft so that its main thruster can put the spacecraft into orbit. A JAXA press release made no mention of the December 2 deadline, instead asking people to be patient and wait until December 10, when project officials will better know the fate of the spacecraft. Outside experts have expressed skepticism that the spacecraft’s problems can be corrected in time to permit the spacecraft to successfully enter orbit. The spacecraft has less than a one percent chance of colliding with the planet should the orbital insertion maneuver fail; otherwise, the spacecraft will fly past Mars and remain in solar orbit. Nozomi was launched in 1998 and originally intended to go into orbit around Mars in late 1999, but thruster problems forced controllers to wait until a more favorable opportunity in December.

Related Links:

•  SPACE.com article
•  JAXA press release
•  MSNBC article