By the Way: Here is What Happened to the Phobos-Grunt

I wanted to revisit my earlier story on the failed Russian Phobos-Grunt probe, since I left the origin of the problems as a mystery.  In February, the results of an inter-agency committee tasked to study the failure reported an on-board computer reboot "influenced" by heavy charged particles was the main cause:

...the emergency situation onboard had been caused by a restart of two semi-sets (processors) of the TsVM22 computer in the onboard calculation complex, BVK, Roskosmos said. As a result of such "dual restart," the nominal pre-programmed flight sequence was interrupted and the spacecraft entered solar orientation, simultaneously waiting for ground commands in X-band frequencies. However the spacecraft was designed to communicate in X-band only during the cruise stage of the flight (between the Earth and Mars, following the escape from the Earth orbit), Roskosmos admitted.

 

The most likely factor which caused a "double restart" was a local influence of heavy charged particles from space, Roskosmos concluded. This influence led to errors in the random-access memory modules, OZU, in the TsVM22 computer during the second orbit of the mission. Errors in RAM modules could be caused by intermittent interference caused by heavy space particles on particular cells in computer modules, which contain two chips of the same type -- WS512K32V20G24M. The influence of heavy particles caused a distortion of the computer code and activated a "guard" timer, which in turn triggered a reboot. Existing certification documents do not regulate the particular model of heavy particle influence, Roskosmos said. The investigation commission recommended to develop and implement new certification guidelines which would contain updated models of ionized radiation in space.

What is also interesting is how the Russians are willing to give it another try.  According to Science magazine,

Lev Zelenyi, director of the Russian Academy of Science's Space Research Institute (IKI), said at a 1 February press conference that the team behind the mission was keen to try again. A repeat would only cost half as much as the first time round, he noted, because the infrastructure for the mission is already in place. Zelenyi told Science that this is still just an IKI proposal and is not yet funded. Phobos-Grunt-2 would be "improved and simplified," he says, and would use a Soyuz Fregat booster rather than the Zenit booster of the original craft. 

I am glad the Russians are no longer blaming outside parties and they are willing to give Phobos another try.  Whether China and the Planetary Society are up for another mission remains to be seen, but this is a hopeful restart.

Great Images: Hubble Captures Star Clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Here is another great image from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory: 

 

The double cluster NGC 1850 lies in a neighboring satellite galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud. It has two relatively young components. The main, globular-like cluster is in the center. A smaller cluster is seen below and to the right, composed of extremely hot, blue stars and fainter red T-Tauri stars. The main cluster is about 50 million years old; the smaller one is 4 million years old. 

A filigree pattern of diffuse gas surrounds NGC 1850. Scientists believe the pattern formed millions of years ago when massive stars in the main cluster exploded as supernovas.

Discovery Over D.C.

This past week saw the Space Shuttle Discovery flying over Washington, D.C., on its way to the Smithsonian’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.  Discovery, the first orbiter retired from NASA’s shuttle fleet, completed 39 missions, spent 365 days in space, orbited the Earth 5,830 times, and traveled 148,221,675 miles.  It will replace another shuttle, the Enterprise, which will be traveling to NYC.  

I am just glad someone notified Washington, D.C., about the flight, unlike a Air Force One flyby in NYC years ago that led to jeers rather than cheers (and some running for cover). 

The nation witnesses the mothballing of another phase of its space mission while not really knowing what is to follow.  While we hear about a possible trip to an asteroid in 2025, we are not hearing anything to stir the soul. 

This flyby cost about anywhere from $8 million to $11 million, according to U.S. News and World Report, but we have endless funds for our space program, right?  We had to get it to D.C. somehow, but I also wish we had such funds for more space contests so we could create the next amazing craft to someday populate more museums.  I remember visiting a sad little space museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, where the remnants of their space program was on display.  A mighty program had come to this (though we are still dependent on some of the Russians to get to the International Space Station, of course).  I know the Smithsonian will do better, but we need more than nostalgia - we need new ideas and greater dreams.