Ground controllers are attempting to recover a NASA spacecraft that was unable to maintain a stable position in orbit after launch Thursday, March 4. The Wide-Field Infrared Explorer (WIRE) spacecraft began to experience a problem during its second pass over a ground station, following a successful launch at 9:57 p.m. EST from Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA. The Poker Flats, AK, ground station determined that WIRE was still spinning instead of maintaining a stable position in orbit and was warmer than expected. The WIRE team has declared a spacecraft emergency and is communicating with the spacecraft while attempting to slow the spin rate and cool the WIRE spacecraft. A spacecraft recovery team has been formed, headed by David Everett of NASA's GSFC. In addition to the recovery team, an anomaly investigation board is being formed.
See press release for more information.
Previous updates:
August 18, 1997 Structure and Cryostat progress
October 20, 1997 Structure qual and harness
installation
October 31, 1997 First powerup
November 7, 1997 Transponder integration, power
long functional
November 14, 1997 WIE and pyro
box integration
November 21, 1997 RF and ACS
integration
December 5, 1997 ACS testing
December 23, 1997 Work under spacecraft
January 9, 1998 ACS testing, gyro phasing
January 16, 1998 Instrument thermal simulator
January 23, 1998 Wire tracker
January 30, 1998 Build up solar array
February 6, 1998 Ops testing, remove transponder
February 20, 1998 Move to Building 7
March 12, 1998 Cleaning and Solar Array Testing
March 23, 1998 Prep for Environmental and into EMI
April 3, 1998 EMI and Vibration
April 20, 1998 Vibration and Shock
April 25, 1998 Thermal Balance
May 29, 1998 Instrument integration and Thermal
Vacuum
June 3, 1998 Spin Balance
June 17, 1998 Astrotech Tour and Magnetic
Calibration
June 30, 1998 QD qual, fairing fit
check, comprehensive testing
July 29, 1998
Ready to ship, QD testing
August 13, 1998 Launch delay
November 23, 1998 New launch date
January 19, 1999 WIRE at launch site
January 21, 1999 WIRE turnover/on Byrd Mobile
January 26, 1999 Instrument cooling, electrical
mate
January 29, 1999 Spacecraft on the rocket
February 15, 1999 Hydrogen load in progress
February 19, 1999 Fairing installation
February 24, 1999 L-1011 arrival
February 25, 1999 Rollout to the hot pad
March 1, 1999 Launch day--first try
March 2, 1999 Launch abort
March 4, 1999 Launch day
March 4, 1999 Launch timeline