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ISEE-3 engine burn

The major course correction burn for ISEE-3 was only partially successful today.

We managed to conduct the first segment (composed of 63 thruster pulses) but encountered problems with the second and halted the remainder of segment firings. Today’s burn was supposed to be 7.32987 m/s. We’re looking at data and formulating a plan for tomorrow. Our window tomorrow (Wednesday) at Arecibo opens at 12:39 pm EDT and extends to 3:26 pm EDT.

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
 

"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News

6 comments

  • This is an interesting story. A private enterprise attempting to wring additional useful life from a ‘defunct’ platform may be a model for others to follow. Even if the attempt isn’t successful, it will provide a useful example.

  • wodun

    Drama! I hope they are successful. It is amazing they can attempt this at all. We have some awesome Alpha Nerds.

  • Pzatchok

    Any idea of what type of engine they are using?

    ION or chemical burn?

  • This is a 1980s-built spacecraft. Ion engines hadn’t really been developed yet. It uses basic chemical thrusters.

  • joe

    They mention Arecibo, that is the big radio telescope in Puerto Rico, what is significant about this window, did they lose signal, or is signal dependent upon line of sight?

  • I think the window is in connection with when Arecibo can contact the spacecraft. The actual window for making the course change extends for several more weeks.

    I have posted an update explaining some of the issues yesterday.

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