NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter puts itself into standby safe mode

Sunday, June 10, 2012 - 05:30 in Astronomy & Space

NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter put itself into a precautionary standby status early Friday, June 8, Universal Time (Thursday evening, Pacific Time), when the spacecraft detected unexpected characteristics in movement of one of its reaction wheels. The spacecraft uses three of these wheels as the primary method for adjusting and maintaining its orientation. It carries a spare reaction wheel.

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