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Re: NASA Spacecraft Mark Thirty Years of Flight (Voyager 1 & 2)
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Re: NASA Spacecraft Mark Thirty Years of Flight (Voyager 1 & 2) Kathy Rages 09-07-2007
Posted by Kathy Rages on September 7, 2007, 3:53 pm
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>Anyway, I find it difficult to escape the conclusion that the timing
>wasn't the only mission design feature that was preserved from the more
>ambitious plans - I mean, for spacecraft for a four-year long mission,
>their core functions seem remarkably intact after 30 years!

Indeed.

"Why is there a Reed-Salomon encoder on this spacecraft?"
"Uh, uh, uh . . . the rain in Spain! Yes! It might be raining in
Spain (or Australia, or even Goldstone) during Jupiter encounter. And
that would do terrible things to the downlink S/N. So that's why we
need it."

As I recall, this was at least part of the reason actually given for
retaining it.

--
Kathy Rages

Posted by robert casey on September 7, 2007, 10:57 pm
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>
> "Why is there a Reed-Salomon encoder on this spacecraft?"
> "Uh, uh, uh . . . the rain in Spain! Yes! It might be raining in
> Spain (or Australia, or even Goldstone) during Jupiter encounter. And
> that would do terrible things to the downlink S/N. So that's why we
> need it."
>

I thought that was a bit of software that was uploaded to the probe
after it was in flight. Not embedded in firmware on the ground before
launch.

Posted by Eric Chomko on September 10, 2007, 2:05 pm
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> > "Why is there a Reed-Salomon encoder on this spacecraft?"
> > "Uh, uh, uh . . . the rain in Spain! Yes! It might be raining in
> > Spain (or Australia, or even Goldstone) during Jupiter encounter. And
> > that would do terrible things to the downlink S/N. So that's why we
> > need it."
>
> I thought that was a bit of software that was uploaded to the probe
> after it was in flight. Not embedded in firmware on the ground before
> launch.

I think you're talking about compensating for the fact that the scan
platform couldn't rotate any longer as they suspected a piece of sand
froze the mechanism. And they sent up commands to compensate for the
lack of movement. This is simlar to what happens when the loose a gyro
or two or three (IUE).

Eric


Posted by Eric Chomko on September 10, 2007, 2:02 pm
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On Sep 7, 3:53 pm, ra...@darkstar.arc.nasa.gov (Kathy Rages) wrote:
>
> >Anyway, I find it difficult to escape the conclusion that the timing
> >wasn't the only mission design feature that was preserved from the more
> >ambitious plans - I mean, for spacecraft for a four-year long mission,
> >their core functions seem remarkably intact after 30 years!
>
> Indeed.
>
> "Why is there a Reed-Salomon encoder on this spacecraft?"
> "Uh, uh, uh . . . the rain in Spain! Yes! It might be raining in
> Spain (or Australia, or even Goldstone) during Jupiter encounter. And
> that would do terrible things to the downlink S/N. So that's why we
> need it."
>
> As I recall, this was at least part of the reason actually given for
> retaining it.

That's Reed-Solomon. I know how to spell it but couldn't tell you how
it works. :)

Eric

>
> --
> Kathy Rages



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