Crowdfunding as a tool to return to the life of a space probe ISEE-3

Habré many times written about various kraudfandingovyh projects, among which are sometimes found, and projects related to space. Now there was a project that stands out from a number of their own kind, because the purpose of the project - not the creation of something new, but a return to the old life.

Namely - Probe International Sun / Earth Explorer 3 (ISEE-3), known as Explorer 59. The probe was designed to study the interaction of Earth's magnetic field and the solar wind, as well as, after completion of the first phase, for the study of comets. The device was launched in 1978 and has worked successfully until 1999. After that, NASA and ESA working together on this project, simply "forgot" about the probe, despite the fact that he was in a completely operational. The device has fulfilled its mission, and work with them ceased.

Now there was a team of engineers, which states that the probe can be brought back to life, and even change its orbit, re-introduced to a working state.



Project took Dennis Wingo and Keith Cowing that a very long time working in the field of space research. Now the project team trying to collect an amount of 125 thousand dollars , which, according to experts, should be enough to restore communication with the probe. In NASA's similar work no money.



By the way, the authors of the current project previously worked with the probe Lunar Orbiter, the project Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project (LOIRP).

Realistically assessing the situation, the team warns that the chance of success is not much time left and very little. It is necessary to establish contact with the probe and take it over to change orbit. This can be done only during the end of May - mid June. Only in this period, experts will be able to take advantage of a good location for the maneuver of the moon probe, using the gravitational field of our natural satellite.

Communication will be established with the help of equipment, which is now in the Applied Physics Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University. Some of the equipment includes an antenna with a diameter of 18 m.

Inter alia, to establish communication with the probe to find old files with management protocol sessions with the probe, where you can see the need to control the probe team. In addition, you will need to re-develop software for managing scientific equipment probe.

At the time of writing news collected 45,212 US dollars, is 37% of the amount requested. End of fundraising is scheduled for May 18 this year.

Collection ведется here .

Source: habrahabr.ru/post/221007/