fuse_sat ([info]fuse_sat) wrote,
@ 2005-01-12 13:58:00
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Things don't look good here
Hello friends,

I've had to compose this over many orbits as I've been conserving the solar energy gathered in my arrays. I've been in a bad way since Dec 27th. Here's a link to bring you up to date:

http://fuse.pha.jhu.edu/facts/miss_rep80.html

Also:

http://fuse.pha.jhu.edu/wpb/RWAZ.html

I don't want to go all gloomy on you, but this might just be my end of mission. I'll check back with you when I can.

(10 comments) - (Post a new comment)


[info]rampling
2005-01-12 09:16 pm UTC (link)
Wow, bummer. I hope things get better for you. But, at least you know you've contributed great data so far!

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[info]fuse_sat
2005-01-13 03:48 pm UTC (link)
Thanks for the reminder. Yes, I've a lot to be proud of.

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[info]acelightning
2005-01-12 09:44 pm UTC (link)
I notice that your handlers say they are "cautiously optimistic" about being able to find a work-around for the problem. Knowing how conservative they are about making promises, I interpret this to mean "we're pretty sure we can fix it, but it's going to take a while, and we can't absolutely guarantee it'll work". Get well soon!

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[info]fuse_sat
2005-01-13 03:51 pm UTC (link)
We went through this a couple of years ago, so there's familiarity with the process. The downside is that I'm running out of reaction wheels. With just the one skew wheel and my magnetic torquer bars to pull against the Earth's magnetic field, turning is going to be slow, and holding position well enough to keep a star in a spectroscopic aperture is going to be challenging.

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[info]acelightning
2005-01-14 07:15 am UTC (link)
As I understood the news item, they seem to be trying to come up with an unorthodox way to reactivate some of your malfunctioning systems. Many years ago - long before your time - I was very tangentially involved with the manufacture of the Apollo Lunar Modules. When the Command Module failed, a bunch of very creative scientists and engineers came up with a way to use the Lunar Module to get the humans safely back to Earth, even though the LM was never designed to do such a thing. I'm sure your ground people are every bit as inventive. (And you can always hope for a fortuitous solar flare or something, to jolt your systems back into proper operation!)

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[info]loosechanj
2005-01-13 11:02 am UTC (link)
You knew what you were getting into. Unless you've got humans riding along, it's a suicide mission.

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[info]fuse_sat
2005-01-13 03:47 pm UTC (link)
Oh sure, I've known for a long time that I was born to burn. That's not the problem. In about 30 years I'll make that long last dive. I'm just not thrilled with the idea of being crippled and useless between now and then.

(Reply to this) (Parent)
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!1111
[info]goes_sat
2005-01-13 01:43 pm UTC (link)
NOOOOOOO!!11111

You can't leave me! *sobs* NO NO NO NO! #1, you're my #1. What will I do without you? I'll find a way- maybe we can upload your AI into my system... SOMETHING. ANYTHING! OH PLEASE DON'T GO!

*satellite sobs*

<3 <3 <3,
Your Special K

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]fuse_sat
2005-01-13 03:44 pm UTC (link)
Hey darlin, it's going to be OK. We'll find a way.

If they do have to let me go, I'll still be in orbit for another 30 years or so. Just not doing any science anymore. As long as they leave my comm, power, and thermal systems on, we'll be able to talk.

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[info]wcg
2005-01-14 07:12 pm UTC (link)
Hey there old friend. I see it's like December of 2001 all over again.

I know it's scary right now for you, but maybe it'll help if you go back and look at something you wrote once. Maybe your old friend's advice will help.

Hang in there. I know that Jeff and Bill and Steve and Brian and all the crew are working on this. If there's any way to get you back into action, they'll get you back in action.

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