Satellite That Hunts for Black Holes in Space Is Lost

[Eugene]

Source: ABC News

Satellite That Hunts for Black Holes in Space Is Lost

By ALYSSA NEWCOMB
Apr 29, 2016, 10:31 AM ET

Japan is abandoning its recently launched $273 million Hitomi space telescope after two solar array panels apparently broke off the satellite, sending it spinning wildly into space.

Hitomi was launched in February with the goal of using its x-ray vision to shed new light on black holes, supernova remnants and galaxy clusters. One month later, the space agency said it was unable to figure out the health of the satellite after it became unresponsive and debris was spotted around it.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said it received three signals believed to be from Hitomi; however, further investigation revealed the signals were not from the satellite and were “due to the differences in frequencies as a consequence of technological study,” the space agency said.

On Thursday JAXA said "it is highly likely that both solar array paddles had broken off at their bases where they are vulnerable to rotation," making it virtually impossible to get the satellite back on track.

While there is no possibility of retrieving Hitomi, JAXA said in a news release it now plans to focus its effort on what caused the anomaly, including scrutiny of design, manufacturing, verification, and operations.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/satellite-hunts-black-holes-space-missing/story?id=38760084

[Herman4747]

1. Swallowed by a black hole? nt

[stellanoir]

2. yeah

guess it worked to precise "spaghettification" specs.

[longship]

3. Yup! JAXA gave it up. nt

[mhatrw]

4. It was unable to resist the pull of James Harden. nt

[AuntPatsy]

5. More trash left in space, sigh....

[complain jane]

6. Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.

How much crap have we polluted the universe with now?

[SCantiGOP]

7. maybe not

if it went 'spinning' I would doubt it is in a sustainable orbit. So it either heads out into deep space or crashes back into the atmosphere and (hopefully) burns up.

[Thor_MN]

8. Why could it not "spin" in a stable orbit?

[SCantiGOP]

9. Just inferring from the article

Said it went "spinning wildly into space" which sounds like erratic movement.

[PJMcK]

10. Agreed, but...

in the words of T'Pol, "Space is very big, Captain."

Still, humans have continued our dumping of our trash as we've ventured of our planet. Think of all the stuff each of the Apollo missions left on the moon not to mention all of the debris in orbit around the earth.

If the satellite went "spinning wildly into space," it will still be in an orbit, most likely around the sun.