Has anyone heard if MGS has been recovered?

Question

Last I heard, there had been no contact for several days, what's the latest?

Mars does seem to be an unlucky planet for probes, don't it!

Answer 1

MGS appears to be alive but running in a safe low power mode due to a stuck solar panel, Engineers are trying to get MGS back to full power but it will take time. Last telemetry data was received at 21:52

Answer 2

I would not say Mars is unlucky for THIS probe. It has operated longer than any other Mars mission and has exceeded its two year on-station design life by about six years. Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter attempted to image MGS on Friday to try and see what its orientation is. According to the link below, that information should be available next week sometime, if the imaging was executed sucessfully (not easy, because this thing is meant to scan stuff on the surface, not something in orbit. It is not as simple as just pointing someplace else and taking a snapshot.)


http://www.space.com/news/061118_mro_update.html

Answer 3

Following info from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Ctr.(gsfc):
http://mgs-mager.gsfc.nasa.gov/status.html

" Extended mission phase set 26 (EXT-26)

* Dates: 2006-284 (11-October) through 2007-002 (02-January)
* Mapping Cycles: 100-102
* Data rate: low
* Data Status:
o obtaining data
o preliminary (reconstructed kernels) processing of data through 2006-306 (02-November-2006) is complete
* Additional Data Information:
o limited data 2006-290 (17-October-2006) through 2006-306 (02-November-2006) because of solar conjunction
o no data available 2006-295 (22-October-2006) through 2006-297 (24-October-2006)
o missing kernels for 2006-294 (21-October-2006) through 2006-298 (28-October-2006)
o no data available starting 2006-307 (03-November-2006) because of a spacecraft anomaly
o 10th Anniversary of the launch of MGS, 2006-311 (07-November-2006); JPL Feature Story
* Operations Information:
o MGS MAG/ER normal science data collection process will be interrupted during Mars solar conjunction, 2006-287 through 2006-305 (14-October-2006 through 01-November-2006).
o The spacecraft experienced an anomaly, 2006-307 (03-November-2006)."

and from:
http://mgs-mager.gsfc.nasa.gov/status/sr06309-315.html

"MAG TEAM REVIEW:

This MGS MAG/ER status report covers the period:
5-11 November 2006 (DOYs 309-315)

MAG/ER instrument temperatures, currents, and voltages are unknown.

A gif plot of the instrument parameters for the week is located at:
http://mgs-mager.gsfc.nasa.gov/status/sr06309-315.html

Previous status reports for the magnetometer and electron
reflectometer instruments can be selected for viewing at:
http://mgs-mager.gsfc.nasa.gov/status/index.html

The plotted quantities are:
MCP_V-->micro-channel plate voltage
A_MA--->controller current

A_TEMP--->controller temperature
ER_TEMP-->ER temperature
IB_TEMP-->inboard temperature
OB_TEMP-->outboard temperature

There were no instrument commands radiated this period.

There has been no science data available since the end of DOY 306 when the spacecraft experienced an anomaly. The spacecraft continues to be in an unknown state."

So, whatever this anomaly is, is causing some big headaches!
Fortunately, we have gotten a lot of good info from MGS!

I agree, Mars eats probes; maybe the little green men...

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

It's still on the hard shoulder of the M25 close to junction10 the A3