As Spitzer’s orbit lags behind Earth’s, it has introduced new engineering challenges for the spacecraft. The distance between the two is widening over time, causing the spacecraft to experience increased heat and stress on its batteries. To address these challenges, the mission team will need to override certain autonomous safety systems on Spitzer. These adjustments are necessary to ensure the spacecraft can continue its mission effectively during the Beyond phase and maximize the scientific data collected by the spacecraft.
Spitzer’s antenna must be angled at higher positions towards the sun for communication with Earth, leading to parts of the spacecraft experiencing increased heat. Moreover, the solar panels on Spitzer point away from the sun and receive less sunlight, putting additional stress on the batteries. The Beyond phase of Spitzer’s orbit has introduced new challenges that require a riskier mode of operations.
In order to optimize Spitzer’s performance during this phase, the mission team will need to make adjustments to certain safety systems. These adjustments are necessary to ensure that Spitzer can continue its mission effectively despite its unique orbit and advancing age. By addressing these engineering challenges, the team can maximize Spitzer’s scientific data collection during this critical period in its mission.
The Beyond phase of Spitzer’s orbit has introduced new challenges that require a riskier mode of operations. However, with careful engineering adjustments and a focus on maximizing scientific data collection, Spitzer can continue its mission effectively and provide valuable insights into our universe.