Fri Jul 1, 2016, 03:02 AM
Juno Probe Now on Autopilot Ahead of July 4 Jupiter Arrival
Source: Space.com
By Mike Wall, Space.com Senior Writer | July 1, 2016 12:24am ET 
NASA's Juno spacecraft is now flying solo ahead of its highly anticipated July 4 entry into Jupiter orbit. On Thursday afternoon (June 30), Juno's handlers sent a command to the spacecraft known as "ji4040," which is designed to transition the probe into autopilot mode, NASA officials said. "Ji4040 contains the command that starts the Jupiter orbit insertion sequence," Juno mission manager Ed Hirst, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, said in a statement. "After the sequence executes, Juno is on autopilot. But that doesn't mean we get to go home. We are monitoring the spacecraft's activities 24/7 and will do so until well after we are in orbit." The major element of the Jupiter orbit insertion (JOI) sequence is a 35-minute engine burn, which Juno is scheduled to perform on Monday night (July 4). This burn should slow the spacecraft down enough to be captured by Jupiter's powerful gravity. Read more: http://www.space.com/33326-nasa-juno-jupiter-probe-autopilot.html 1. Yes, I'm a total nerd. 2. A reminder that our country can still actually do things. 
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16 replies, 1747 views
Always highlight: 10 newest replies | Replies posted after I mark a forum
Replies to this discussion thread
 16 replies |
Author | Time | Post |
 Juno Probe Now on Autopilot Ahead of July 4 Jupiter Arrival (Original post) |
Night Watchman | Jul 2016 | OP |
| Rhiannon12866 | Jul 2016 | #1 | |
| Spitfire of ATJ | Jul 2016 | #2 | |
| longship | Jul 2016 | #3 | |
| NeoGreen | Jul 2016 | #5 | |
| kentauros | Jul 2016 | #10 | |
| Night Watchman | Jul 2016 | #6 | |
| longship | Jul 2016 | #7 | |
| Ghost Dog | Jul 2016 | #12 | |
| edbermac | Jul 2016 | #4 | |
| Just reading posts | Jul 2016 | #11 | |
| Frank Cannon | Jul 2016 | #15 | |
| leftynyc | Jul 2016 | #8 | |
| Night Watchman | Jul 2016 | #13 | |
| Princess Turandot | Jul 2016 | #9 | |
| Baclava | Jul 2016 | #16 | |
| whistler162 | Jul 2016 | #14 |
Response to Night Watchman (Original post)
Fri Jul 1, 2016, 03:15 AM
Rhiannon12866 (125,650 posts)
1. K&R! This is fascinating! Thanks for posting!
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I remember the days when we'd hear about our efforts at space exploration on the news - these days, I'm fortunate to have DU!
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Response to Night Watchman (Original post)
Fri Jul 1, 2016, 05:27 AM
3. And there is nothing they can do if the JOI goes wrong.
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The transmission delay is too long. By the time ground controllers find out, it will be too late to correct it. If they get at least a 20 minute burn, they may have a saving throw, however.
R&K 
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Response to longship (Reply #3)
Fri Jul 1, 2016, 05:32 AM
NeoGreen (3,949 posts)
5. I always understood that a...
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...natural 20 was an automatic save.
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Response to NeoGreen (Reply #5)
Sat Jul 2, 2016, 12:27 AM
10. Just don't roll that on a 30-sided die
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Response to Night Watchman (Reply #6)
Fri Jul 1, 2016, 05:45 AM
7. Well, I am just relating what the ground crew are saying.
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They say that Curiosity's seven minutes of terror are nothing compared to this.
Kind of makes it more exciting, don't you think? My best to you.
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Response to Night Watchman (Reply #6)
Sat Jul 2, 2016, 03:59 AM
12. Not sure. Do you still measure distances out there
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in nautical miles, fathoms, feet and inches, or has the US now gone metric in space?
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Response to Night Watchman (Original post)
Fri Jul 1, 2016, 05:31 AM
4. "Space...the final frontier..."
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"Fascinating!"
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Response to edbermac (Reply #4)
Sat Jul 2, 2016, 01:09 AM
11. In that shot, Mr. Spock is using a B-1 Flight Computer....essentially, a slide ruler which was
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designed to allow pilots to calculate such things as fuel burn, wind correction, time en route, and ground speed.
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Response to Night Watchman (Original post)
Sat Jul 2, 2016, 12:19 AM
Princess Turandot (4,429 posts)
9. NASA will begin covering the orbit insertion...
Response to Princess Turandot (Reply #9)
Sun Jul 3, 2016, 09:02 AM
16. Yes - New Horizons lives on! - 'Pluto spacecraft gets new mission'
NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft – has received the nod to fly onward to an object deeper in the Kuiper Belt, known as 2014 MU69. This object had not even been discovered when New Horizons was launched in 2006. The spacecraft will rendezvous with 2014 MU69 on January 1, 2019. http://earthsky.org/space/pluto-spacecraft-gets-new-mission-mu69 Ice volcanoe's and Blue sky on Pluto? We want more pics! 
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Response to Night Watchman (Original post)
Sat Jul 2, 2016, 07:22 AM
whistler162 (10,291 posts)
14. Just so long as it isn't a Tesla autopilot!
