Spirit communication lost!

Greg Crinklaw wrote:

Anthony Ayiomamitis wrote:

Folks,

I just received a news flash from the Space Flight Now web site
(run by Astronomy Now Magazine) and it seems to be official that
communication HAS been lost.


It's not that bad yet. In fact, they do have two way communication.
It's just not working properly. There is a serious problem,
apparently in the computer. But if it is a software problem (which is
not unprecedented) then there is a good chance for recovery; time to
reboot. If it is hardware that is another matter, but even then there
are possible solutions.

Greg,

If I were you I'd find another news source less likely to indulge in
hyperbole, or did you add that yourself...

Let's try CNN ...

Home Page: "NASA can't communicate with Mars Spirit rover" ....
http://www.cnn.com/
Follow-up link: "NASA unable to comminicate with Mars rover" ...
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/0...act/index.html

Anthony.

"If the spacecraft believes it's in a fault mode, its command rate
should be 7.8 bits per second. We sent a beep today, this morning, about
the time that we came down here to talk to you at 7.8. We sent a command
that says if you get this send us a beep. And I'm told from Richard that
Jennifer came down here to tell us that they think they got it,"
Theisinger said.

"That would tell us that the spacecraft thinks it's in the fault side of
the tree some how for some reason. That would mean that we've got
positive power, some elements of the software is working, once again the
X-band system is working, the SSPA, the multi-space transponder, all
that stuff is working so that would be more information -- good news. We
need to confirm that. Data off the DSN sometimes needs double-checking.
We'll let you know if that's for sure."

It is my understanding that in fault mode it does not attempt to contact
the orbiters, which may explain why no signals were received (although
it is interesting that MGS thought it received something garbled).
Perhaps this is all as simple as Spirit going into fault mode, which is
something that occurs often with spacecraft, but apparently had not
happened before with Spirit even during cruise to Mars. On other words,
if this really is the first time, they don't have a lot of "real world"
experience with it. Fingers crossed.

--
Greg Crinklaw
Astronomical Software Developer
Cloudcroft, New Mexico, USA (33N, 106W, 2700m)

SkyTools Software for the Observer:
http://www.skyhound.com/cs.html

Skyhound Observing Pages:
http://www.skyhound.com/sh/skyhound.html

Anthony Ayiomamitis wrote:
Let's try CNN ...

Home Page: "NASA can't communicate with Mars Spirit rover" ....
http://www.cnn.com/
Follow-up link: "NASA unable to comminicate with Mars rover" ...
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/0...act/index.html

The news media is well known for it's imprecise wording and hyperbole.
It is the data that was lost, not contact and not communication.

Give it a rest will ya?

--
Greg Crinklaw
Astronomical Software Developer
Cloudcroft, New Mexico, USA (33N, 106W, 2700m)

SkyTools Software for the Observer:
http://www.skyhound.com/cs.html

Skyhound Observing Pages:
http://www.skyhound.com/sh/skyhound.html

Dam, Windows again! Send a repair man!
JS

"Anthony Ayiomamitis" wrote in message
...
Folks,

I just received a news flash from the Space Flight Now web site
(run by Astronomy Now Magazine) and it seems to be official that
communication HAS been lost.

We have the proposed landing of Opportunity on the weekend and,
hopefully, Spirit will be back in action by then so that we can enjoy
transmissions from both rovers.

Anthony.

This spacedaily article seems a little more opptomistic:

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-mers-04zh.html

"Pasadena - Jan 23, 2004
NASA officials at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory have confirmed that the Mars
Exploration Rover Spirit has responded to an emergency command this morning
by sending back a radio beep -- an event which had been stated as a
possibility, but not a certainty, at the end of this morning's JPL press
conference. "This means it's commandable," a JPL spokeswoman told
SpaceDaily."

Greg Crinklaw wrote:

Anthony Ayiomamitis wrote:

Let's try CNN ...

Home Page: "NASA can't communicate with Mars Spirit rover" ....
http://www.cnn.com/
Follow-up link: "NASA unable to comminicate with Mars rover" ...
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/0...act/index.html


The news media is well known for it's imprecise wording and hyperbole.
It is the data that was lost, not contact and not communication.

Greg,

Give it a rest will ya?

Let's hope the rover is giving it a rest and comes back to "work" as
soon as possible. :-)

Some of the images I have seen so far have been something else. It would
be a real shame to have it come to an end so quickly.

Anthony.

"Elysium Fossa" wrote in message
...
This spacedaily article seems a little more opptomistic:

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-mers-04zh.html

"Pasadena - Jan 23, 2004
NASA officials at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory have confirmed that the
Mars
Exploration Rover Spirit has responded to an emergency command this
morning
by sending back a radio beep -- an event which had been stated as a
possibility, but not a certainty, at the end of this morning's JPL press
conference. "This means it's commandable," a JPL spokeswoman told
SpaceDaily."

I hope it's not screwed. However, if it is, I bet they wish they had got it
off the lander a bit quicker!

Martin

It's a long way to go for an Alt+Shft+Del. ;o)

Cheers,
Subz

"Szaki" wrote in message
news:EOXPb.125401$xy6.445251@attbi_s02...
Dam, Windows again! Send a repair man!
JS

"Anthony Ayiomamitis" wrote in message
...
Folks,

I just received a news flash from the Space Flight Now web site
(run by Astronomy Now Magazine) and it seems to be official that
communication HAS been lost.

We have the proposed landing of Opportunity on the weekend and,
hopefully, Spirit will be back in action by then so that we can enjoy
transmissions from both rovers.

Anthony.

NASA failed to download this week's security patch...that'll teach 'em.



"Subz" wrote in message
...
It's a long way to go for an Alt+Shft+Del. ;o)

Cheers,
Subz

"Szaki" wrote in message
news:EOXPb.125401$xy6.445251@attbi_s02...
Dam, Windows again! Send a repair man!
JS

"Anthony Ayiomamitis" wrote in message
...
Folks,

I just received a news flash from the Space Flight Now web site
(run by Astronomy Now Magazine) and it seems to be official that
communication HAS been lost.

We have the proposed landing of Opportunity on the weekend and,
hopefully, Spirit will be back in action by then so that we can enjoy
transmissions from both rovers.

Anthony.

Anthony Ayiomamitis:
If you ask me a question and I simply nod, I would not exactly call that
communication.

It would, however, indicate to me that you are not dead.

Disclaimer: I am not a physician.

Davoud

--
usenet *at* davidillig dawt com