Japanese satellite develops trouble [geomagnetic storm?]

Agence France-Presse (AFP) ^ | 10-25-03

[Oldeconomybuyer]

TOKYO, Oct 25 (AFP) - A Japanese earth observation satellite, one of the biggest in the world, stopped sending data for reasons which remained unclear Saturday, the national space agency said.

"It was confirmed at about 8:49 am (2349 GMT Friday) that the satellite had developed some abnormality and its operation had shifted into an energy-saving mode," the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said in a statement.

"At about 8:55 am it became impossible to confirm telemetry data following a disruption in communications," it said, adding that the agency was trying to ascertain the cause of the trouble and bring the satellite back to normal.

The satellite, codenamed ADEOS-2, was launched in December by Japan's state-of-the-art H-2A rocket along with three other satellites including the Australian FedSat which is geared to conduct various experiments.

The ADEOS, an acronym for advanced earth observation satellite, was developed at a cost of 70 billion yen (636 million dollars) to replace its predecessor which broke down 10 months after it was launched in 1996.

Equipped with five US and French-made sensors, ADEOS has been gathering data on global weather changes for the past 10 months. It has a lifespan of three years and crosses the earth over the two poles at an altitude of about 800 kilometers (500 miles).

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Duct tape -
Plastic sheeting -
Cheese -

Beer -
Tin foil hat -

[John H K]

Yesterday's "geomagnetic storm" was so routine and run of the mill, something that typically happens over a dozen times a year, that it seems dubious as the cause.

If it was a snowstorm, it would have been a couple inches of slush.

[katana]

adiós, ADEOS.

[Zeppo]

< conspiracy theory >With all of the media hype, though, wouldn't it be a great time for someone to test their directed energy satellite killer technology? < /conspiracy theory >.

BTW, it is a mighty big sunspot, isn't it? Easily visible by the naked eye (through the welder's glass filter).

[solitas]

Hopefully the energy will kill that chinese satellite that just got put up.

[isom35]

wouldnt it be cool if the satellite malfunction caused the recently dead here on earth to turn into zombies? if that happened, I'd go live in a shopping mall. That would rule.