Spacecraft retirement: Difference between revisions
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Following the discontinuation of the Vanguard 1 probe, many [[space agencies]] and subsequent spacecraft have ceased operations through various methods. |
Following the discontinuation of the Vanguard 1 probe, many [[space agencies]] and subsequent spacecraft have ceased operations through various methods. |
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In 2017, the [[Cassini–Huygens]] probe concluded its 19-year exploration mission by plunging into [[Atmosphere of Saturn|Saturn's atmosphere]]. The decision to end the mission was prompted by the minimal power supply from the probe's [[radioisotope thermoelectric generator]]s (RTGs). The maneuver started on November 29, 2016, where Cassini performed a flyby of [[Moons of Saturn|Saturn's moon]] [[Titan (moon)|Titan]], which positioned it into the orbital plane of [[F ring|Saturn's F Ring]] for its [[Cassini retirement|grand finale]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/2861/2016-saturn-tour-highlights/ |title=2016 Saturn Tour Highlights }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cassini-mission-kicks-off-finale-at-saturn/ |title=Cassini Mission Kicks Off Finale at Saturn |last=Lewin |first=Sarah |work=Scientific American |access-date=November 30, 2016}}</ref> Cassini performed another subsequent flyby of Titan on April 22, 2017, during which positioned the probe to pass within a precise 3,100 km (1,900 mi) of Saturn's clouds. The process of flybys was repeated 22 times until September 15, 2017, at 11:55:46 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]], when communication with [[High-gain antenna|Cassini's antenna]] was lost during the 22nd flyby of Saturn. Cassini's grand finale represented the inaugural intentional entry of a spacecraft into the [[Gas giant#Precipitation and meteorological phenomena|atmosphere of a gas giant]]. The mission's success has significantly influenced the planning and execution of both [[Juno (spacecraft)|present]] and future missions focused on [[gas giant|gas]] and [[ice giant]]s.<ref name="nasa20170427">{{cite web |url=https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/3032/nasa-spacecraft-dives-between-saturn-and-its-rings/ |title=NASA Spacecraft Dives Between Saturn and Its Rings |publisher=NASA{{\}}Jet Propulsion Laboratory |first1=Preston |last1=Dyches |first2=Dwayne |last2=Brown |first3=Laurie |last3=Cantillo |date=April 27, 2017 |access-date=May 2, 2017}}</ref> |
In 2017, the [[Cassini–Huygens]] probe concluded its 19-year exploration mission by plunging into [[Atmosphere of Saturn|Saturn's atmosphere]]. The decision to end the mission was prompted by the minimal power supply from the probe's [[radioisotope thermoelectric generator]]s (RTGs). The maneuver started on November 29, 2016, where Cassini performed a flyby of [[Moons of Saturn|Saturn's moon]] [[Titan (moon)|Titan]], which positioned it into the orbital plane of [[F ring|Saturn's F Ring]] for its [[Cassini retirement|grand finale]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/2861/2016-saturn-tour-highlights/ |title=2016 Saturn Tour Highlights }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cassini-mission-kicks-off-finale-at-saturn/ |title=Cassini Mission Kicks Off Finale at Saturn |last=Lewin |first=Sarah |work=Scientific American |access-date=November 30, 2016}}</ref> Cassini performed another subsequent flyby of Titan on April 22, 2017, during which positioned the probe to pass within a precise 3,100 km (1,900 mi) of Saturn's clouds. The process of flybys was repeated 22 times until September 15, 2017, at 11:55:46 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]], when communication with [[High-gain antenna|Cassini's antenna]] was lost during the 22nd flyby of Saturn. Cassini's grand finale represented the inaugural intentional entry of a spacecraft into the [[Gas giant#Precipitation and meteorological phenomena|atmosphere of a gas giant]], and marks the first major spacecraft to burn up in the atmosphere of a gas giant (excluding the [[Galileo project#Atmospheric probe|Galileo Atmospheric Probe]]). The mission's success has significantly influenced the planning and execution of both [[Juno (spacecraft)|present]] and future missions focused on [[gas giant|gas]] and [[ice giant]]s.<ref name="nasa20170427">{{cite web |url=https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/3032/nasa-spacecraft-dives-between-saturn-and-its-rings/ |title=NASA Spacecraft Dives Between Saturn and Its Rings |publisher=NASA{{\}}Jet Propulsion Laboratory |first1=Preston |last1=Dyches |first2=Dwayne |last2=Brown |first3=Laurie |last3=Cantillo |date=April 27, 2017 |access-date=May 2, 2017}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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The retirement of a spacecraft refers to the discontinuation of a spacecraft from active service. This can involve deorbiting the spacecraft, discontinuing of the probes operations, passivating it, or loss of contact with it. One notable example of spacecraft retirement is Cassini's retirement in 2017.[1][2]
History
The first spacecraft to be retired was the Soviet Union's Sputnik 1 probe. Sputnik was originally launched in 1957, and eventually completed its mission by naturally deorbiting due to gravitational forces. It spent roughly 3 months orbiting Earth, completing 1,440 orbits in the duration.[3]
In 1958, NASA launched the Vanguard 1 probe with the aim of winning in the Space Race. Six years later, NASA officially concluded the mission as the probe had fulfilled all its experimental and objective requirements. NASA made sure the probe would survive for up to 2,000 years. However, due to solar radiation pressure and atmospheric drag, the hypothesized reentry date has been reduced to approximately 240 years from now, where Vanguard 1 is expected to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and burn up.[4][5]
Following the discontinuation of the Vanguard 1 probe, many space agencies and subsequent spacecraft have ceased operations through various methods.
In 2017, the Cassini–Huygens probe concluded its 19-year exploration mission by plunging into Saturn's atmosphere. The decision to end the mission was prompted by the minimal power supply from the probe's radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs). The maneuver started on November 29, 2016, where Cassini performed a flyby of Saturn's moon Titan, which positioned it into the orbital plane of Saturn's F Ring for its grand finale.[6][7] Cassini performed another subsequent flyby of Titan on April 22, 2017, during which positioned the probe to pass within a precise 3,100 km (1,900 mi) of Saturn's clouds. The process of flybys was repeated 22 times until September 15, 2017, at 11:55:46 UTC, when communication with Cassini's antenna was lost during the 22nd flyby of Saturn. Cassini's grand finale represented the inaugural intentional entry of a spacecraft into the atmosphere of a gas giant, and marks the first major spacecraft to burn up in the atmosphere of a gas giant (excluding the Galileo Atmospheric Probe). The mission's success has significantly influenced the planning and execution of both present and future missions focused on gas and ice giants.[8]
References
- ^ Johnson, Nicholas (2011-12-05). Livingston, David (ed.). "Broadcast 1666 (Special Edition) - Topic: Space debris issues" (podcast). The Space Show. 1:03:05–1:06:20. Retrieved 2015-01-05.
- ^ Brown, Dwayne; Cantillo, Laurie; Dyches, Preston (September 15, 2017). "NASA's Cassini Spacecraft Ends Its Historic Exploration of Saturn". NASA. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
- ^ "Sputnik-1 1957-001B". NASA. 27 April 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ https://pages.vassar.edu/realarchaeology/2023/12/03/a-closer-look-at-the-archaeological-importance-of-the-vanguard-1/
- ^ Rosenthal, Alfred (January 1982). "A record of NASA space missions since 1958". NASA Technical Reports Server. NASA. hdl:2060/19940003358. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
- ^ "2016 Saturn Tour Highlights".
- ^ Lewin, Sarah. "Cassini Mission Kicks Off Finale at Saturn". Scientific American. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
- ^ Dyches, Preston; Brown, Dwayne; Cantillo, Laurie (April 27, 2017). "NASA Spacecraft Dives Between Saturn and Its Rings". NASA / Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
