IBEX leaves safe mode and returns to full science operations

Engineers have restored the orbiting astronomy probe IBEX out of safe mode, returning it to full science operations after a computer issue on February 18, 2023 that prevented the spacecraft from accepting commands.

To take the spacecraft out of a contingency mode it entered last month, the mission team performed a firecode reset (which is an external reset of the spacecraft) instead of waiting for the spacecraft to perform an autonomous reset and power cycle on March 4. The decision took advantage of a favorable communications environment around IBEX’s perigee – the point in the spacecraft’s orbit where it is closest to Earth.

After the firecode reset, command capability was restored. IBEX telemetry shows that the spacecraft is fully operational and functioning normally.

As I noted previously, IBEX was designed to study the boundary between the interstellar space and the solar system, and do it somehow from Earth orbit.

IBEX in safe mode

On February 18, 2023, NASA’s Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) went into what the engineers have dubbed “contingency mode”, which seems to be a variation of safe mode, due to a computer issue that is preventing the spacecraft from accepting commands.

While fight [sic] computer resets have happened before, this time the team lost the ability to command the spacecraft during the subsequent reset recovery. The team also was unsuccessful in regaining command capability by resetting ground systems hardware and software.

Flight software still is running, and the spacecraft systems appear to be functional. However, while uplink signals are reaching the spacecraft, commands are not processing. If the mission team’s efforts to find and remedy the loss of command capability remain unsuccessful, IBEX will perform an autonomous reset and power cycle on March 4.

IBEX was designed to study the boundary between the interstellar space and the solar system, and do it somehow from Earth orbit.