April 29, 2024

NASA Loses Contact With Another Spacecraft

There is no proof that the close timing of the two incidents is connected.
Illustration of ICON spacecraft. Credit: NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith
CYGNSS is a constellation of 8 little satellites taking measurements of ocean surface winds in and near the eye of the storm throughout the lifecycle of hurricanes, tropical storms, and hurricanes.
If the group isnt able to restore contact, the FM06 satellite would primarily impact the constellations spatial coverage. The CYGNSS constellation might continue to fulfill its scientific requirements and goals.
Dr. Chris Ruf, Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite Systems (CYGNSS) Principal Investigator talks about the objective. (Video recorded in 2014.) Credit: NASA Langley Research Center
CYGNSS was launched on December 15, 2016, and completed its prime objective science goals on March 19, 2019. It has actually been operating in extended objective status because that time.
ICON released on October 10, 2019, and finished its two-year prime mission science goals in December 2021. It has actually been operating in extended objective status because that time.

Illustration of one of the 8 CYGNSS satellites in orbit above a hurricane. Credit: NASA
Recently, it was reported that NASA lost contact with the Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) spacecraft. Now, NASA states it has actually likewise lost contact with one of the 8 CYGNSS spacecraft.
NASAs Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) group has not been able to reach FM06, one of the 8 CYGNSS spacecraft, since November 26, 2022. The team is presently still working to acquire a signal and develop a connection. The other seven spacecraft continue to operate generally and have been collecting science measurements because the FM06 anomaly.
Contact with NASAs Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) spacecraft was lost on November 25. The spacecraft is equipped with an integrated onboard command loss timer that power cycles (or resets) the spacecraft after contact is lost for eight days.

NASAs Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) group has not been able to make contact with FM06, one of the 8 CYGNSS spacecraft, given that November 26, 2022. Contact with NASAs Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) spacecraft was lost on November 25. The spacecraft is equipped with a built-in onboard command loss timer that power cycles (or resets) the spacecraft after contact is lost for eight days. Dr. Chris Ruf, Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite Systems (CYGNSS) Principal Investigator talks about the objective.