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Citizen scientists revived NASA’s long-retired ISEE-3 probe in 2014 and fired its thrusters for the first time in 27 years, restoring its spin—but the larger burn meant to return it to an Earth–Sun observation point failed because the nitrogen needed to pressurize its fuel system had apparently run out.

Citizen scientists revived NASA’s long-retired ISEE-3 probe in 2014 and fired its thrusters for the first time in 27 years, restoring its spin—but the larger burn meant to return it to an Earth–Sun observation point failed because the nitrogen needed to pressurize its fuel system had apparently run out.

Image: SpaceDaily

A crowdfunded team rebuilt the ability to command ISEE-3, restored its spin with 11 thruster pulses and learned why a probe can still carry fuel yet be unable to use it. The post Citizen scientists revived NASA’s long-retired ISEE-3 probe in 2014 and fired its thrusters for the first time in 27 years, restoring its spin—but the larger burn meant to return it to an Earth–Sun observation point failed because the nitrogen needed to pressurize its fuel system had apparently run out. appeared first on Space Daily .

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