US-Argentine Earth science spacecraft fails in orbit
Posted: Sat, Jun 20, 2015, 11:39 AM ET (1539 GMT)
A four-year-old Earth sciences satellite developed by the United States and Argentina has failed in orbit, NASA announced this week. The Satelite de Aplicaciones Cientificas (SAC)-D satellite, built by Argentina and carrying a NASA science instrument called Aquarius, suffered a malfunction of hardware that controls the spacecraft's power and attitude control systems on June 8, and the spacecraft was declared lost June 17. SAC-D/Aquarius launched in June 2011 on a Delta 2 on a three-year mission to study the salinity of the ocean surface. The spacecraft completed its prime mission last November, but continued to operate and had a five-year design life.
A four-year-old Earth sciences satellite developed by the United States and Argentina has failed in orbit, NASA announced this week. The Satelite de Aplicaciones Cientificas (SAC)-D satellite, built by Argentina and carrying a NASA science instrument called Aquarius, suffered a malfunction of hardware that controls the spacecraft's power and attitude control systems on June 8, and the spacecraft was declared lost June 17. SAC-D/Aquarius launched in June 2011 on a Delta 2 on a three-year mission to study the salinity of the ocean surface. The spacecraft completed its prime mission last November, but continued to operate and had a five-year design life.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
SpaceX sets Nov. 18 launch date for sixth Starship test flight
Posted: Sat, Nov 9 9:57 AM ET (1457 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Monday, November 25
Rocket Lab Successfully Launches Two Missions in Less Than 24 Hours
Rocket Lab — 5:15 am ET (1015 GMT) Start thinking about space tourism, Travel Counsellors agents told
Travel Weekly — 5:15 am ET (1015 GMT) Greater transparency will enhance space governance
Australian Strategic Policy Institute — 5:14 am ET (1014 GMT) Rural visionaries and space frontiers: How Terry Kilgore helped transform Virginia into a commercial space hub
Cardinal News — 5:14 am ET (1014 GMT) Colorado Springs named permanent home for 250 Delta 15 Space Force guardians, ahead of possible Space Command fight
Colorado Springs Gazette — 5:14 am ET (1014 GMT) |
