Episode 547: Spacecraft Gyroscopes And Reaction Wheels. You Can Never Have Enough
It\u2019s amazing to think there are telescopes up in space, right now, directing their gaze at distant objects for hours, days and even weeks. Providing a point of view so stable and accurate that we can learn details about galaxies, exoplanets and more.
\n\nAnd then, when the time is up, the spacecraft can shift its gaze in another direction. All without the use of fuel.
\n\nIt\u2019s all thanks to the technology of reaction wheels and gyroscopes. Let\u2019s talk about how they work, how they\u2019re different, and how their failure has ended missions in the past.
\n\n06:49 Scientists May Have Figure Out Why So Many Spacecraft Were Failing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KibT-PEMHUU
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Team: Fraser Cain - @fcain / frasercain@gmail.com
\nKarla Thompson - @karlaii / https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEItkORQYd4Wf0TpgYI_1fw
\nChad Weber - weber.chad@gmail.com
References:
\nhttps://www.nature.com/news/the-wheels-come-off-kepler-1.13032
\nhttp://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/lightsail-2-successful-flight-by-light.html
\nhttps://astrobites.org/2013/05/21/kepler-reaction-wheel-failure-cripples-spacecraft-but-mission-thrives/
\nhttps://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/dawn/news/dawn20120418.html
\nhttps://www.jpl.nasa.gov/blog/2016/1/dawns-sunny-side-views-of-dwarf-planet-ceres/#RWAs
\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KibT-PEMHUU
\nhttps://www.spacetelescope.org/announcements/ann1818/
\nhttps://jwst.nasa.gov/content/forScientists/faqScientists.html#wheels
\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFmOr1vMOT4