[meteorite-list] Mars Odyssey Puts Itself Into Standby Safe Mode

[Ron Baalke]

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2010-241  

Orbiter Puts Itself Into Standby Safe Mode
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
July 20, 2010

MARS ODYSSEY MISSION STATUS REPORT

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter put itself into a safe
standby mode on Wednesday, July 14, and the team operating the
spacecraft has begun implementing careful steps designed to resume
Odyssey's science and relay operations this week.

Engineers have diagnosed the cause of the safe-mode entry as the
spacecraft's proper response to unexpected performance by an electronic
encoder. That encoder controls motion of a gimbal that adjusts the
position of the solar array. Odyssey switched to a redundant encoder,
and there is no sign of any mechanical problem with the gimbal.

Commands from Earth have switched Odyssey back to using its high-gain
antenna. The programmed response to the detected problem on July 14
initially shifted the spacecraft to slower communication via its
low-gain antenna.

The spacecraft team recovered downward-pointing operations, out of safe
mode, on Friday, July 16. "We expect to be back to full operations this
week," said Odyssey Project Manager Phil Varghese of NASA's Jet
Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

Odyssey has been orbiting Mars since 2001. In addition to its own major
scientific discoveries and continuing studies of the planet, the Odyssey
mission has played important roles in supporting the missions of the
Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity and the Phoenix Mars Lander.

The rover Opportunity was not able to transmit data to ground
controllers via Odyssey while the orbiter was in safe mode. Science
activities were delayed, but critical activities have not been affected.

JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena,
manages Mars Odyssey for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington.
Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the
project and built the spacecraft. Additional information about Odyssey
is at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/odyssey .

Guy Webster 818-354-6278/Courtney O'Connor 818-354-2274
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
guy.webster at jpl.nasa.gov / courtney.m.o'connor at jpl.nasa.gov

2010-241