SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC1004 * SpaceNews 04-Oct-99 * BID: $SPC1004 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY OCTOBER 4, 1999 * MARS CLIMATE ORBITER NEWS * ============================= A failure to recognize and correct an error in a transfer of information between the Mars Climate Orbiter spacecraft team in Colorado and the mission navigation team in California led to the loss of the spacecraft two weeks ago according to preliminary findings by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory internal peer review. "People sometimes make errors," said Dr. Edward Weiler, NASA's Associate Administrator for Space Science. "The problem here was not the error, it was the failure of NASA's systems engineering, and the checks and balances in our processes to detect the error. That's why we lost the spacecraft." The peer review preliminary findings indicate that one team used English units (e.g., inches, feet and pounds) while the other used metric units for a key spacecraft operation. This information was critical to the maneuvers required to place the spacecraft in the proper Mars orbit. "Our inability to recognize and correct this simple error has had major implications," said Dr. Edward Stone, director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "We have underway a thorough investigation to understand this issue." Two separate review committees have already been formed to investigate the loss of Mars Climate Orbiter: an internal JPL peer group and a special review board of JPL and outside experts. An independent NASA failure review board will be formed shortly. "Our clear short-term goal is to maximize the likelihood of a successful landing of the Mars Polar Lander on December 3," said Weiler. "The lessons from these reviews will be applied across the board in the future." Mars Climate Orbiter was one of a series of missions in a long-term program of Mars exploration managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. JPL's industrial partner is Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, CO. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA. [Info via NASA] * FUJI-OSCAR-29 NEWS * ====================== The following is the latest FO-29 satellite operating schedule: Tue 05-Oct-99 - Thu 07-Oct-99 : Mode JA Fri 08-Oct-99 - Mon 18-Oct-99 : Digitalker Tue 19-Oct-99 - Thu 21-Oct-99 : Mode JA Tue 22-Oct-99 - Mon 08-Nov-99 : Digitalker Tue 09-Nov-99 - Mon 15-Nov99 : Mode JA [Info via Kazu Sakamoto (jj1wtk@jamsat.or.jp)] * FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED * =========================== Comments and input for SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John, KD2BD) via any of the paths listed below: WWW : http://www.njin.net/~magliaco/ PACKET : KD2BD @ N2SMV.NJ.USA.NA INTERNET : kd2bd@amsat.org, magliaco@email.njin.net SATELLITE : AMSAT-OSCAR-16, KITSAT-OSCAR-25 <<=- SpaceNews: The first amateur newsletter read in space! -=>> <<=- Serving the planet (and beyond) since 1987 -=>> /EX