[meteorite-list] Mars Odyssey Enters, Then Exits, Standby Safe Mode

[Ron Baalke]

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2012-203

Orbiter Enters, Then Exits, Standby Safe Mode
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
July 13, 2012

Mars Odyssey Mission Status Report

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter experienced about 21 hours in a 
reduced-activity precautionary status ending at about 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT) on 
Thursday, July 12.

The orbiter put itself in the precautionary, Earth-pointed status called safe mode, 
at about 1 p.m. PDT (4 p.m. EDT) on July 11, as it finished a maneuver adjusting, or 
trimming, its orbit. Odyssey's computer did not reboot, so diagnostic information was 
subsequently available from the spacecraft's onboard memory. Based on analysis of 
that information, the mission's controllers sent commands yesterday morning taking 
Odyssey out of safe mode and reorienting it to point downward at Mars.

"We are on a cautious path to resume Odyssey's science and relay operations soon," said 
Gaylon McSmith, Odyssey project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, 
Calif. "We will also be assessing whether another orbit trim maneuver is warranted."

The thruster burn for Wednesday's orbit-trim maneuver lasted 1.5 seconds, as planned, 
which was shorter than any previous orbit-trim maneuver of the mission's decade at Mars. 
The spacecraft's onboard capability for maintaining orientation during the burn put 
unexpectedly high demand on a reaction wheel in the attitude control system, which 
prompted the change to safe mode.

NASA launched the Mars Odyssey spacecraft on April 7, 2001, and it arrived at Mars 
Oct. 24, 2001. It has worked at Mars longer than any other Mars mission in history. 
Besides conducting its own scientific observations, it serves as a communication relay 
for robots on the Martian surface. NASA plans to use Odyssey and the newer Mars 
Reconnaissance Orbiter as communication relays for the Mars Science Laboratory mission 
during the landing and Mars-surface operations of its Curiosity rover.

Odyssey is managed by JPL for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Lockheed 
Martin Space Systems in Denver built the spacecraft. JPL and Lockheed Martin collaborate 
on operating the spacecraft. For more about the Mars Odyssey mission, visit: 
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/odyssey .

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
guy.webster at jpl.nasa.gov

2012-203