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It's ALIVE: Juno back online after reboot

It's ALIVE: Juno back online after reboot

NASA's Juno space probe has successfully rebooted after a recent Jupiter fly-by was disrupted by an unexpected “safe-mode” event.

The data-gathering on the October 19 flyby didn't happen, because a software performance monitor rebooted its computer just beforehand. The probe then entered safe mode while NASA worked through its normal recovery procedures.

A couple of days before that, Juno gave its operators another small scare when a propulsion feed valve didn't “operate as expected”.

With the probe rebooted, the probe also fired its thruster engines for the delayed course correction.

Confirmation of the safe mode exit was received on Monday Pacific Daylight Time, and according to JPL's Rick Nybakken, the probe is “responding to all our commands. We anticipate we will be turning on the instruments in early November to get ready for our December flyby.”

The orbital trim manoeuvre on Tuesday involved burning the smaller thrusters for 31 minutes (3.6 kg of propellant), and knocked 2.6 metres per second (5.8 miles per hour) off its velocity.

The planned December 11 flyby will use all the probe's instruments, and its JunoCam will grab images.

We'll be waiting to see what you see, little Juno. ®

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