36-year-old spacecraft ISEE-3 flew past Earth


Route ISEE-3 since the start of August 12, 1978 until August 12, 2014 i>

Comes to its final completion is not an easy 36-year-old mission spacecraft ISEE-3. Launched in 1978 for the study of comets and the solar wind, he worked for 21 years, after which he was laid up in 1999.

This year, a group of enthusiasts Astronautics agreed with NASA , to return the machine to life. They spent kraudfandingovuyu campaign and raised $ 160 thousand. It was possible to establish a successful connection with the ISEE-3 (using GNU Radio), dismantle hundreds of pages of paper documentation describing the communication protocol decode the signal transmitted by the team. But, unfortunately, failed to start engines and correct the trajectory. However, the path was originally laid so that ISEE-3 returned.

So, August 9, 2014 the unit was held at a minimum distance near the Earth, and on 10 August flew past the moon at a distance of 15,600 km. Now it inevitably returns to orbit around the sun.

Communication with the ISEE-3 will work for some time. The device transmits the readings of scientific instruments and data telemetry.

The data collected transferred into the public domain . The new site design lined interesting information about how the operation took place many months for installation of communication. The idea occurred to two engineers Skycorp, when they had dinner at "McDonalds". They realized that it is possible to realize the project, if get original documentation on ISEE-3. Ironically, the one preserved in the archives of NASA stacks yellowed paper. Scan them and began to investigate.

Simultaneously engineers communicate in forum with other enthusiasts and get their help. Among the assistants found former employees NASA, amateur radio operators around the world. By May, was able to negotiate with the administration of the Arecibo Observatory to use their 304-meter dish for broadcast signal. It was necessary to construct a transmitter to its design.

After two weeks of failed attempts to two-way communication with the device has been installed, with the help of engineers NASA.



As already stated, start the engine failed, so the ISEE-3 will fly back only in 2029. Perhaps, the machine still in working condition.

Source: habrahabr.ru/post/233033/

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