New NASA WIRE telescope

1999/04/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Patenteak/Asmakizunak

The last NASA space mission was suspended in early March for US$79 million WIRE telescope failure and uncontrol. The Wide Field Infrared Explorer now rotates through space to investigate the creation of distant stars and galaxies, and cannot do so without remedy.

NASA controllers indicated that the failure of the telescope was due to the excessive opening of the coverage. Solar radiation overheated the telescope and a hydrogen block of the cooling system boiled after five days in orbit. Consequently, hydrogen escaped. The expulsion of the gas put the container turning and thus cannot fulfill its obligation, since its telescope cannot be transferred to the points of space that are wanted to study.

This space telescope requires keeping it at very low temperatures (-256ºC) so that the heat produced by the ship itself does not damage the infrared signals received from space. All hydrogen has already been lost, so the cooling system does not work. Although they have managed to stop the 255 kg telescope, the NASA Agency has announced the cessation of the mission.