Tag: satellite operations
-
TESS Safe Mode: NASA Command Error Halts Satellite Today
Overview NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) faced a temporary setback when a command error caused the spacecraft to enter safe mode. The incident, which temporarily paused TESS’s planet-hunting operations, was traced to an automation instruction that inadvertently positioned its solar arrays away from the Sun. Ground teams quickly diagnosed the issue, implemented corrective steps,…
-
Solar Storms Push Satellites in Low Earth Orbit Toward Lower Altitudes, ISRO Monitors Closely
Solar Storms Accelerate Satellite Decay in Low Earth Orbit Researchers and space agencies are observing an important sidelight of space weather: solar storms can accelerate the natural decay of satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). During heightened solar activity, increased radiation and energetic particles interact with the outer atmosphere, heating it and causing the atmosphere…
-
China Reaches Out to NASA to Prevent Satellite Collision in Groundbreaking Space Cooperation
Overview of the Breakthrough Cooperation In a notable shift for space governance, China has reached out to NASA to discuss a maneuver intended to prevent a potential collision between satellites. The outreach, described by a space sustainability official, represents the first time a major space power has engaged NASA in a formal effort to coordinate…