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Earthwatch May Save Earlybird
by Frank Sietzen "SpaceCast News Service"
Washington, DC Jan. 15, 1998 - Earthwatch Inc. has no plans to abandon the troubled Earlybird 1and is still hopeful the private remote sensing satellite can be saved, Spacecast learned late Wednesday. And although 2-way communications between ground stations and the satellite have yet to be established, Earthwatch officials are in the process of uplinking commands to the spacecraft to turn off what spokesperson Bill Wientzen described as "non- critical" components to save power.

The smallsat is operating in a reduced power state as a result of an onboard malfunction, and it is the power problem that is threatening the mission. Instructions are being sent to the satellite now, but it remains unclear if the craft is responding, company officials reported late Wednesday.

Satellite engineers are using simulators and systems from Earlybird II to trouble shoot the malfunction. While the spacecraft's condition remains a serious issue, Wientzen said that there is no "deadline" for the vehicle to respond.

Its orbit remains stable, "and the satellite is in no immediate danger" of reentry, Wientzen said by telephone from Earthwatch's offices in Colorado. Ground stations have been unable to establish Two way communications with Earlybird 1 since its launch aboard a Start 1 booster late last month. The launcher worked as planned, and Earlybird was inserted into the proper orbit for its mission. But soon after launch officials were unable to communicate with the satellite, raising concerns that it would be unable to perform its photography mission.




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