[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Mars Pathfinder Update - July 20, 1997

     PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE
     JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
     CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
     NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
     PASADENA, CALIF. 91109. TELEPHONE (818) 354-5011
     http://www.jpl.nasa.gov 
     
     Mars Pathfinder Mission Status
     July 20, 1997
     1 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time
     
     The Pathfinder mission operations team commanded the lander early this 
     morning and did obtain a carrier signal over the high-gain antenna 
     starting at 3:14 a.m. PDT  for the normal period of about 66 minutes, 
     but the signal strength was below expected levels and no scientific 
     data was received.
     
     "This told us that the spacecraft was basically healthy but that there 
     was a problem with the telecommunications link," said Project Manager 
     Brian Muirhead.   A later attempt to communicate with the lander 
     through its high-gain antenna from 7:03 to 7:27 a.m. PDT was not 
     successful.   
     
     "The flight team is assessing the possible causes of the communication 
     problem, said Muirhead. "This morning's problem may be related to some 
     extent to configuration problems between the spacecraft and the Deep 
     Space Network, but more data is needed to fully assess the problem.  
     We are trying to troubleshoot a problem with very little information," 
     he said.
     
     The flight team is preparing sequences for a low-gain antenna 
     communications session for about midnight tonight (July 20, Pacific 
     Time).  A communications session with the high-gain antenna is planned 
     for about 3:30 a.m. PDT tomorrow, July 21. 
     
     "Since we have only limited windows to communicate with the spacecraft 
     we must wait patiently for our next opportunity, Muirhead said.  "We 
     will go through the usual steps that have worked for us before, and 
     then we will get to the bottom of the problem as we have before."  The 
     telecommunications problem is not thought to be related to the reset 
     problem previously experienced by the lander's computer.  
     
     The rover remains safely at the rock called Scooby Doo. Earth will 
     rise over the Sagan Memorial Station at 8:07 p.m. PDT today July 20, 
     and sunrise will be at 11:15 p.m. Earth set is at 9:45 a.m. July 21.  
     
     An audio update on Pathfinder's status can be heard by calling 
     1-800-391-6654.
     
                           #####