RE: starship-design: Ion Propulsion

[Steve VanDevender <stevev@efn.org>]

L. Clayton Parker writes:
 > No it didn't fail - it worked spectacularly well. The problem was with the
 > star tracker that is used to determine the spacecraft's location and
 > orientation. The star tracker died and they had to find another way to
 > steer.
 > 
 > The ion drive worked flawlessly.
 > 
 > L. Parker

In fact, it's premature to be talking about Deep Space 1 in the past
tense.  Its primary mission has ended, but it's still out there on its
way to an encounter with Comet Borrelly in September 2001.

NASA's Deep Space 1 web site has status reports and other information on
the spacecraft:

http://nmp.jpl.nasa.gov/ds1/

 > > -----Original Message-----
 > > From: owner-starship-design@lists.uoregon.edu
 > > [mailto:owner-starship-design@lists.uoregon.edu]On Behalf Of
 > > Skyler Hall
 > > Sent: Friday, September 15, 2000 8:36 AM
 > > To: starship-design@lists.uoregon.edu
 > > Subject: starship-design: Ion Propulsion
 > >
 > >
 > > I heard NASA's first ion probe failed (Deep Space 1, I
 > > believe).  Are they planning on making any more attempts?
 > >
 > > =====
 > > -Skyler Hall
 > > Period 1
 > >
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