NASA’s Lucy spacecraft finally expanded and stabilized its solar battery
(NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center https://go.nasa.gov/3crxiXU)
NASA’s spacecraft Lucy finally deployed one of its solar arrays after repeated and failed attempts.
Now the battery is open at 353-357 degrees, and its position is stabilized, which allows you to complete the entire scientific program.
Lucy launched last year, targeting eight Jupiter Trojan asteroids and one body from the main asteroid belt.
The spacecraft will study those bodies from a flight path using two cameras and two spectrometers.
Planetary scientists expect that Lucy will show the surface of Trojan asteroids for the first time.
Researchers also want to determine the properties and composition of those space rocks, and test models of processes that took place in the early solar system.
Problems & fixings
From the beginning, the mission experimented problems: one of its round solar panels that unfold like a fan was revealed, but not fully disclosed
This malfunction caused that the generated power of the ship was 90 percent of the nominal.
(NASA/Southwest Research Institute https://bit.ly/3PBWk4M)
The engineers decided that this would not interfere with the scientific program, however they attempted to re-deploy the battery anyway
On May 9, the team sent a command to restart the ship’s engine, a tension cable responsible for deploying the battery.
They repeated the process on May 12 and 26 and June 2, and the data received showed that the battery was gradually opening, but not yet fixed.
Then, on June 7, Lucy completed the first trajectory correction maneuver, and, on June 9, another attempt was made.
Finally, on June 16, the engineers deployed the battery and stabilized its position, and now the battery is opened at 353-357 degrees instead of the previous 347.
On June 21, the spacecraft performed a second trajectory correction maneuver, and on October 16 it will perform a gravity maneuver near the Earth.
At this time, the mission team will have a new opportunity to finally complete the deployment of the battery, if necessary.
Source:
The fact that there are several spaceships that works and operates on solar power independently is fascinating, to say the least. It revives hopes that renewable energy sources may be enough someday to rely on them away from traditional sources and fossil fuels. It's still a long way, but we're making good steps...
Thanks for sharing. Nice topic :)
Yup, many of the technologies we use everyday were first developed for the space exploration.
I hope too one day we could stop depending on fossil fuels.
Thank you for reading.