New Horizons space probe suffers glitch on approach to Pluto

NASA scientists were working on Sunday to revive the New Horizons spacecraft after it suffered a computer malfunction just nine days before it was due to fly past Pluto.

Source

Well isn't that a stinker! The glitch occurred Saturday and forced the probe to go into "safe mode", by switching to a backup computer. The switch severed communications for about an hour and twenty minutes.

It could take several days for the probe to recover and the sad part is, they won't be able to collect any scientific data during the fix.

The probe is about 3 billion miles from earth and it takes about four and a half hours to send a signal, which could be pretty frustrating when trying to diagnose and fix a computer glitch.

It took us 9 years and a whole lot of ingenuity to finally put Pluto in the spotlight. We have one shot at collecting images and data due to the large amount of energy it would require to slow down the probe and allow it to settle into Pluto's weak gravitational orbit.

I pray to Hades, that he spare the death of New Horizons and let us finally be rewarded with new imagery and knowledge of our solar system. It took along time to get there and I'll be damned if we have nothing to show for it.

thats the bummer of space, it's basically magic, if they tell us this happened there's is absolutely nothing 99.9% of the planet can say or do to disagree.

I'm not saying this safe mode boondoggle didn't happen, there's just no way to argue.

I panicked mildly when I heard this. NH watch is our family daily obsession And the timing for this...so close to their goal, they must be going insane at mission control.

I'm not going to say the alien ice city switched off....but I bet someone will in ...3...2...1

a reply to: eisegesis

This is quite an inconvenience...

I was looking forward for a closer look at those strange, equidistant spots on Pluto's surface:



What an inconvenience that the probe should fail at such a critical moment!

Huh, guess there really WAS an anomaly (or alien ice city) on Pluto...

Heh.

But really, bummer. Hope they tickle the widgets and make the probe happy again...

a reply to: eisegesis
Hmm,call me a sceptic,but the probe has travelled sucessfully all the 3 billion miles to Pluto and then suffers a "glitch" just as it gets near enough to get proper data and pics?

Sounds suspicious to me..
The Plutonians may not like our probe maybe.
Or NASA have shut it down when they filmed something they think we are not ready to see?
Good conspiracy fodder.

a reply to: Silcone Synapse

The probe "successfully traveled 3 billion miles" asleep.

originally posted by: Silcone Synapse
a reply to: eisegesis
Hmm,call me a sceptic,but the probe has travelled sucessfully all the 3 billion miles to Pluto and then suffers a "glitch" just as it gets near enough to get proper data and pics?

Sounds suspicious to me..
The Plutonians may not like our probe maybe.
Or NASA have shut it down when they filmed something they think we are not ready to see?
Good conspiracy fodder.

I'm thinking the same Silicon

Sounds like it's working pretty well. Built in analysis and back to prevent all out failure.

It will be back.

"During that time, the autonomous autopilot on board the spacecraft recognized a problem and — as it’s programmed to do in such a situation — switched from the main to the backup computer," New Horizons team members wrote in an update Saturday, stressing that the spacecraft is healthy.

"The autopilot placed the spacecraft in 'safe mode,' and commanded the backup computer to reinitiate communication with Earth," they added. "New Horizons then began to transmit telemetry to help engineers diagnose the problem."

...are currently investigating the issue and working to get New Horizons out of the protective safe mode and back up to speed. Mission officials said the recovery process could take several days...

"New Horizons will be temporarily unable to collect science data during that time..."

a reply to: Silcone Synapse

Funny, it ALMOST went into Skunk Works. For fear of ridicule, I just stuck to the facts.

Unless...

Lmao ,I know many of us feared this would be the scenario .. They can't handle another mystery after Ceres because they haven't have a proper story that fits the anomaly on Ceres yet.. And now that also Pluto looks weird with the spots and all this is the only responsible situation to come with...? duh

People get used to it that we have to swallow it over again..

Cmon NASA put that thing up we want to see it..

I think I have to review my vision of Pluto as my last words that I mentioned in the Art gallery lol..
Sorry for my sarcasm OP .

originally posted by: AshOnMyTomatoes
a reply to: Silcone Synapse

The probe "successfully traveled 3 billion miles" asleep.

When I am asleep is when I suffer my worst gliches!

a reply to: swanne

An inconvenience occurring 3 billion miles away becomes a monumental pain in the ass. They're still trying to determine the cause, but at least one thing is for sure...

The backup computer works!

a reply to: eisegesis

This could be all exactly as they say. But you must admit, the situation is suspicious given the anomalies already detected on Ceres and, from a distance, Pluto. I try to remain grounded in reality but my vote has to be on some sort of censorship here, at some level. It's just too convenient, as another posted said. NH makes it all the way there then sees some crazy stuff then shuts itself off without reason (that we know of)? Like, are you kidding me? That's not even a reasonable Hollywood storyline these days.

As long as it is up and running a few days before passing Pluto and his other Disney friends it shouldn't affect scientific analysis or our interest in seeing the planetoid. Crossing my fingers (all of them at once, quite a trick of nature if I can pull it off).

The spacecraft did exactly what it was designed to do. The main computer went into safe mode when a problem occurred.

This has happened on many successful missions, the MSL included.
mars.nasa.gov...
www.ibtimes.com...
www.gizmag.com...
news.bbc.co.uk...

a reply to: oriondc

I know we have to wait until they solve this problem,but why now ! surely is something we all ask ourselves . If its not going to get online I really starting to get that crazy censorship feeling again...

a reply to: oriondc

double post

They obviously cut the feed so no one saw Nibiru passing Pluto and tossing it a dog biscuit.

a reply to: eisegesis

Well... That's a huge bummer.

I hope they get the thing fixed in time to capture some useful data closer in. And to be fair to the folks that put this mission together in the first place, if anyone on the face of this planet could get it sorted in time, it's got to be them!

Here's hoping for a good result for the team, for the people of Earth, and for science!