Old Drifting Spacecraft Faces a "Reboot"

NASA has recently greenlighted a private group to attempt to "reboot" a 35-year-old spacecraft currently drifting through space with no mission. The spacecraft will be swinging the closest it's been to Earth in 30 years, giving scientists a small window of time to contact the craft and get it working once more.

According to NASA, the International Sun-Earth Explorer-3 (ISEE-3) spacecraft was launched in 1978 to study solar wind flow streaming to Earth. After that primary mission was completed in 1981, the craft was sent to expend the rest of its fuel and resources to study two comets before it was expected to drift out of contact range with Earth.

However, ISEE-3 will now be making its closest approach to the Earth in more than 30 years as it continues to orbit the Sun.

"We have a chance to engage a new generation of citizen scientists through this creative effort to recapture the ISEE-3 spacecraft as it zips by the Earth this summer," John Grunsfeld, astronaut and associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA headquarters in Washington, said in a recent statement.

Space College Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to provide unique educational projects to "the next generation of space explorers," will soon be providing young scientists the unique opportunity to attempt to contact and "reboot" the mission objective of the ISEE-3. Program associate Skycorp, Inc. just signed a Non-Reimbursable Space Act Agreement (NRSAA) with NASA, allowing the company or its representatives to attempt to contact and possibly command and control the 35-year-old spacecraft.

According to a Space College release, the ISEE-3 Reboot Project will attempt to command ISEE-3 to fire its engines and enter an orbit near Earth. From there, a team of engineers, programmers, and scientists will attempt to redirect the spacecraft to resume its original mission - orbiting the Sun and observing solar wind patterns.

"If we are successful it may also still be able to chase yet another comet," the team reported.

NASA reportedly will not be providing funding for the project, as it is not a formal priority for the agency. However, the agency did admit that the ISEE-3 could provide valuable data, especially concerning how extended exposure to a vacuum affects spacecraft.

To fund the project, the ISEE-3 Reboot Project began a crowd funding campaign last April. Since then, the team has seen significant support, reaching and then passing their $125,000 goal. To date, the team has raised $142,908 through 2015 total donations, providing what the team is calling a "significant buffer" for any mishaps they might encounter in the near-future.

The team is slated to make contact with ISEE-3 sometime next month, and the craft must complete its orbit change maneuvers no later than mid-June 2014.