NASA Regains Contact With Spacecraft After Almost 2-Year

Science Jeanette Walsh
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After trying to reestablish contact for about two years, NASA has eventually received communications with STEREO-B (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory), the sun-studying satellite. The communication took place at 6:27 p.m. Eastern time when NASA received a transmission from the spacecraft using its Earth-based communication antennas in the Deep Space Network.

There are two spacecraft that orbit the sun and STEREO-B (STEREO-Behind) is one of them. These spacecraft make up the STEREO mission. STEREO-Ahead (STEREO-A) is the other spacecraft and it orbits somewhat closer to the Sun than the Earth. While STEREO B orbits at a further distance from the sun than the Earth. Collectively, they supply NASA with unprecedented views of the far side of the sun.

In recent months, NASA had carried out routine attempts to re-establish contact with STEREO-B, transmitting data in the hopes the spacecraft would have the capacity to receive them and reply. NASA began those efforts late last year after STEREO-B was far off from the sun, and seen from the Earth so that radio noise from the sun was no longer an issue.

The first loss of contact was an accident resulting from the spacecraft’s drawn-out mission. The STEREO spacecraft were projected to run for just two years, but NASA stretched out the mission quite a few times – given the performance of the spacecraft and the observatory benefits of seeing the sun from varying angles. By 2014, both STEREO spacecraft had floated to the opposite sides of the sun from the Earth, and this meant that solar noise would cut off communications for several months.

It is uncertain if, or when, STEREO-B will have the ability to resume regular operations. STEREO-A, unaffected by the issue, has been operating generally throughout its assignment.