After almost 30 years in a zombie-like state, NASA’s International Sun-Earth Explorer 3 probe (a.k.a. ISEE-3), is back up and running thanks to a private team and its crowdfunding campaign.
ISEE was retired in 1997 after it was launched into space in 1978. Its original purpose was to study how solar wind interacts with Earth's magnetic field, but in 1983 it was repurposed to take a closer look at two comets. It has been inactive since 1987, but with a little financial help, a group of volunteers changed that.
See also: Space Probe Joins Growing Lunar 'Graveyard' on Far Side of the Moon
The group, comprised of engineers, programmers and scientists, worked with NASA to turn on ISEE’s engines on July 2 . The crowdfunding campaign soared past its goal of $125,000 to help fire up the ISEE-3’s engines once again.
According to the RocketHub campaign, the team intends for ISEE to “resume its original mission,” and if all goes well, perhaps even chase a few more comets.
But ISEE's mission is a bit more complicated. In order for the probe to be useful, its devices must work, not just turn on. In 1999, when last checked, 12 of 13 instruments were working.
As of now, the team knows at least the magnetometer, an instrument that measures Earth's magnetic field, still works.
Notes on the ISEE-3 Vector Helium Magnetometer From the Original Principal Investigator http://t.co/njo9NfCIiD #ISEE3 Read more...
— ISEE3 Reboot Project (@ISEE3Reboot) July 3, 2014
“In the near future, the operational plan is to acquire data from the other ISEE experiments, have the scientists assess their performance and participate once more in making scientific measurements," ISEE's original principal investigator explained on the team’s blog.
The next step will be to change the spacecraft's trajectory, which will likely happen on Tuesday.
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More about Space, Nasa, and Us World Reported by Mashable 13 hours ago.
ISEE was retired in 1997 after it was launched into space in 1978. Its original purpose was to study how solar wind interacts with Earth's magnetic field, but in 1983 it was repurposed to take a closer look at two comets. It has been inactive since 1987, but with a little financial help, a group of volunteers changed that.
See also: Space Probe Joins Growing Lunar 'Graveyard' on Far Side of the Moon
The group, comprised of engineers, programmers and scientists, worked with NASA to turn on ISEE’s engines on July 2 . The crowdfunding campaign soared past its goal of $125,000 to help fire up the ISEE-3’s engines once again.
According to the RocketHub campaign, the team intends for ISEE to “resume its original mission,” and if all goes well, perhaps even chase a few more comets.
But ISEE's mission is a bit more complicated. In order for the probe to be useful, its devices must work, not just turn on. In 1999, when last checked, 12 of 13 instruments were working.
As of now, the team knows at least the magnetometer, an instrument that measures Earth's magnetic field, still works.
Notes on the ISEE-3 Vector Helium Magnetometer From the Original Principal Investigator http://t.co/njo9NfCIiD #ISEE3 Read more...
— ISEE3 Reboot Project (@ISEE3Reboot) July 3, 2014
“In the near future, the operational plan is to acquire data from the other ISEE experiments, have the scientists assess their performance and participate once more in making scientific measurements," ISEE's original principal investigator explained on the team’s blog.
The next step will be to change the spacecraft's trajectory, which will likely happen on Tuesday.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
More about Space, Nasa, and Us World Reported by Mashable 13 hours ago.