From: LARRY KLAES (ljk4_at_msn.com)
Date: Tue Dec 09 2003 - 11:06:49 PST
This article is also available on the web at:
http://www.spacetoday.net/getsummary.php?id=2067 .
Report: Japan abandons plans to put Nozomi in Mars orbit
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Posted: Tue, Dec 9 1:06 PM ET (1806 GMT)
The Japanese space agency JAXA had reportedly given up on
efforts to put its Nozomi spacecraft into orbit around Mars
because of ongoing problems with the spacecraft. Although
JAXA has yet to issue an official statement, several news
outlets reported an thruster burn planned for Tuesday to
orient the spacecraft for orbital insertion failed. "Our
mission to explore Mars is over." JAXA spokesman Junichi
Moriuma told the AP. The spacecraft has experienced a number
of problems since its launch in 1998, including a stuck
thruster that forced controllers to delay the spacecraft's
arrival into Martian orbit from late 1999. A solar flare in
2002 damaged spacecraft electronics, preventing the
spacecraft's thrusters from working properly. Although there
were reports last month that Nozomi was on a collision
course with the Red Planet, the probability of collision was
never more than one percent, and Moriuma said Tuesday those
odds have since been reduced to "close to zero." Nozomi will
continue to operate in solar orbit, and should be able to
collect some data on solar activity.
Related Links:
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AP article:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/06/17/tech/main559003.shtml
BBC article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3304131.stm
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