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Mysterious power failure: How did Nozomi meet disaster in space?
In the history of space exploration, Japan's Nozomi probe has become a case study with its failure story. The highly anticipated Mars orbiter ultimately failed to reach its destination, largely due to a series of unexpected electrical failures that resulted in a serious mission failure.
Nozomi (meaning "hope") was originally launched on July 4, 1998, to study the Martian upper atmosphere and its interaction with the solar wind.
Nozomi was built by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science at the University of Tokyo and is designed to develop technologies needed for future planetary missions. The probe is equipped with a variety of scientific instruments and is planned to conduct in-depth research on the atmospheric structure, composition, dynamics, and Mars' own magnetic field.
Task Overview
Launch and Initial Orbit
Nozomi was launched using the third M-V launch vehicle and was sent to an elliptical geostationary parking orbit with a perihelion of 340 kilometers and an aphelion of 400,000 kilometers.
Lunar and Earth Gravitational Assist
To make the journey to Mars, Nozomi used two lunar gravity assists, on September 24 and December 18, 1998. This gravitational mechanism provides it with the necessary altitude and speed to enter an exploratory orbit around Mars.
However, during its Earth flyby on December 20, 1998, a faulty valve caused a loss of fuel and the probe was unable to achieve its intended orbit to Mars.
Re-adjusted mission plan
Since the original course could not be set, the mission team had to devise a new plan to keep Nozomi in heliocentric orbit for another four years and to encounter Mars in December 2003 or January 2004. .
Origin of power failure
The Challenge of the First Earth Flyby
During a close approach to Earth for a gravity assist on April 21, 2002, a powerful solar flare damaged Nozomi's communications and power systems. These problems eventually turned into a severe crisis.
A battery failure unfortunately froze the propellant, putting the researchers under pressure for the rest of the mission.
Second Earth flyby and ultimate failure
During the close Earth flyby on June 19, 2003, the hydride fuel thawed completely, allowing the probe to successfully perform the planned maneuvers. However, as December approached, attempts to prepare the main thruster for orbital insertion failed and were ultimately abandoned on December 9 of that year.
Edge of Mars
Nozomi flew past Mars as planned on December 14, 2003, but failed to successfully enter its planned Martian orbit. It eventually entered a heliocentric orbit of about two years and left with endless regret.
The original intention of this mission was to gain a deeper understanding of the Martian thermosphere, low gravity region and Martian atmosphere, but these dreams have now become an unattainable vision with the failure of Nozomi.
Scientific instruments and exploration results
Although Nozomi failed to achieve its primary mission, it still returned some important scientific data, including a measurement of Lyman-alpha light. This data has not gone unnoticed and still has implications for the scientific community.
Conclusion
Nozomi's story is a microcosm of the ups and downs of space exploration, reminding us that even amidst the many technological advances, we may still face unexpected limitations and challenges. This also makes people wonder how future missions can better avoid similar dilemmas to achieve humanity's continued exploration and understanding of the unknown universe?
