DS1 Snaps Comet Borrelly During Distant Flyby Pasadena - Sept. 22 2001 Deep Space 1 mission manager Marc Rayman told SpaceDaily this evening, "We did it!". "We have returned some black and white images, some infrared spectra, and some ion and electron data. Although the entire encounter was pre-sequenced, we did have to do some critical commanding this morning. It -- and everything else for that matter -- went perfectly!" At 3:30pm PDT - (2230 UT) NASA's Deep Space 1 probe made its closest orbital intersection within 2000 km an obscure comet called Borrelly. A small camera along with other on board instrument were programmed to acquire data at different times during the encounter. JPL says images will be released Monday. But don't be surprised if that gets changed to Sunday.
Searching Out A Risky Encounter In Deep Space Pasadena - Sept. 21, 2001 NASA's Deep Space 1 probe is set to fly into the coma of Comet Borrelly on Saturday at 3:30pm PDT - (2230 Universal time). The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Dr. Marc Rayman, project manager of the mission, is cautious about the encounter. "I'm very excited� [But] any spacecraft can be given an assignment that simply exceeds its capabilities. And this spacecraft is going to be battered by high-velocity bullets," Rayman says.
Veteran Spacecraft Attempts To Earn Extra Credit At Comet Pasadena - September 18, 2001 Like a slugger trying to pile up extra home runs after breaking the world record, a venerable NASA spacecraft already famed for bringing science fiction's ion-engine technology to life is preparing to fly daringly close to a comet on Saturday, Sept. 22.
NASA Tech Probe On Final Approach For Deep Space Encounter Pasadena - Sept. 10, 2001 NASA's Deep Space 1 probe is now on final approach to an extraordinarily risky close encounter of the most exciting kind with comet Borrelly. On September 22 it will plunge into the comet's coma, the fog of gas and dust expanding away from the nucleus that lurks somewhere deep inside.
Deep Space 1 Ready To Catch A Comet Flash Pasadena - August 8, 2001 As Deep Space 1 continues its silent and calm flight through the solar system, its terrestrial colleagues continue to plan a risky adventure for the probe. DS1's assignment: to peek into a time capsule called comet Borrelly on September 22. The aged and debilitated spacecraft will face myriad challenges as it attempts to bring its sensors to bear on this relic from the formation of the solar system.
DS1 Closing In For Final Act Pasadena - July 2, 2001 DS1's grand "extended mission" will end in about 3 months, after the aged and scarred explorer attempts a final daring feat: a brief and close-up investigation of comet Borrelly. Last month's log described some of the preparations for this risky finale to DS1's bonus mission, including two complex tests with the spacecraft.
DS1 Closing In For Final Act Pasadena - July 2, 2001 DS1's grand "extended mission" will end in about 3 months, after the aged and scarred explorer attempts a final daring feat: a brief and close-up investigation of comet Borrelly. Last month's log described some of the preparations for this risky finale to DS1's bonus mission, including two complex tests with the spacecraft.
DS1 On Track For Comet Flyby Pasadena - May 15, 2001 As Deep Space 1 continues is cosmic voyage, it is preparing for a very brief and extremely daring assignment later this year. If all goes well for the next 4 months, on September 22 DS1 will greet comet Borrelly as the icy body and the spacecraft flash past each other at 16.5 kilometers/second (more than 10 miles/second, or 36,900 miles/hour).
Ion Engine Puts Probe On Course For Comet Flyby Pasadena - April 4, 2001 The innovative engine now propelling NASA's Deep Space 1 spacecraft toward its ambitious September encounter with Comet Borrelly just won't give up, having now run for more than 10,000 hours -- 50 times beyond its originally required lifetime.
DS1 Gets An Upgrade Pasadena - March 21, 2001 Deep Space 1 is now the proud owner of a gift from its controllers on distant Earth -- a new load of software. The new computer programs were transmitted across the solar system as the craft continues its trek through the cosmos. The previous version of software was loaded in June 2000. In combination with new methods for flying the spacecraft, it led to the rejuvenation of the probe following the failure of its star tracker shortly after the end of the primary mission in 1999.
DS1 Prepares To Throttle Up Ion Engine Pasadena - Jan. 10, 2001 Nearly seven months after the completion of an extraordinary rescue, DS1 continues operating splendidly on its journey in deep space as the mission team prepares to fire up DS1's ion engine.
Opposition In Deep Space Pasadena - Dec. 6, 2000 Deep Space 1 has completed another challenging phase of its remarkable journey through the solar system: passing on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth. Ever since it left Earth in October 1998, DS1 has been orbiting the Sun just like a planet or most of the myriad other celestial bodies that form the solar system.
Deep Space 1 Give Ion Power Extra Impulse Pasadena - Oct. 31, 2000 DS1 Pushes Ever Deeper Into Space As DS1 pushes ever deeper into space, the probe and one of its partners in a lovely celestial dance are about to perform a new step.
Driving Blind In Deep Space Pasadena - Oct. 18, 2000 The most recent telemetry from Deep Space One was on October 9, and a planned carrier-only signal was received on October 12. The spacecraft is thrusting in the attitude required to reach comet Borrelly, and all spacecraft systems are working well. DS1 has accomplished 100% of the thrusting that was planned for the last week, and is set to enter radio silence October 23.
Going Blind In Deep Space Pasadena - Oct. 18, 2000 The most recent telemetry from Deep Space One was on October 9, and a planned carrier-only signal was received on October 12. The spacecraft is thrusting in the attitude required to reach comet Borrelly, and all spacecraft systems are working well. DS1 has accomplished 100% of the thrusting that was planned for the last week, and is set to enter radio silence October 23.
Deep Space One Mission Continues Pasadena - Sept. 24, 2000 Deep Space 1's journey through the solar system is progressing very smoothly, as the probe continues heading toward an ambitious meeting with comet Borrelly just one year from now.
Deep Space One Mission Continues Pasadena - Sept. 24, 2000 Deep Space 1's journey through the solar system is progressing very smoothly, as the probe continues heading toward an ambitious meeting with comet Borrelly just one year from now.
Pasadena - Sept. 22 2001