NASA specialists continued attempts to fully deploy the jammed solar array of the Lucy probe (“Lucy”), which is heading towards an asteroid encounter in Jupiter’s orbit. Launched about a year ago, the probe failed to fully deploy one of the two round solar arrays. Since then, NASA engineers have been airborne trying to complete the disclosure. So far this has not been successful, but step by step the situation is improving.
Image source: NASA
Attempts to deploy the battery were suspended on 16 June. The probe left the stable communication zone and it was simply dangerous to conduct experiments in this case. Up to this point the engineers had taken advantage of the fact that the winch motor which pulled the line and opened the antenna from the folded state was oversized and could spin on double windings with double the effort. Attempts were partially successful: the cable unfolded the array a little more and created an additional force on the battery structure, which increased the rigidity of the structure.
After the spacecraft entered the normal communication zone on Oct. 16, NASA decided to try to re-deploy the jammed panel. A new attempt was made on 7 November. Telemetry indicated that the battery array has begun to vibrate. The analysis showed that the battery array vibrated only during operation of the orientation system and in case of severe cooling. Subsequently, attempts to continue the expansion were suspended until the panel orientation controller firmware was updated. Also, the antenna array was aimed at the Sun so that it could heat up.
NASA has noted that the observed vibrations of the array do not threaten the operation of the device and its mission. The current opening of the panels will be sufficient to supply energy to the spacecraft for the entire mission. However, NASA decided to continue trying to open the jammed panel to the end – this will not harm the device and will increase the chances of a successful mission. After updating the panel orientation controller firmware, the attempts will continue.
The Lucy probe will have to reach the orbit of Jupiter and visit seven so-called Trojan asteroids in its orbit. These stones have been there since the birth of the solar system, their study should provide Earth science with valuable information on the evolution of our star system and the behavior of star systems in general.
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