The European space Agency is planning to remotely upgrade the software on its Mars Express probe to spacecraft aging remains stable.
The probe arrived at Mars in late 2003 for two years , but after nearly 15 years, still works.
ESA said on Wednesday four of the six gyroscopes Mars Express’ — used to measure rotation of the probe — not that would finish the mission in 2019.
So the engineers decided to rewrite the code unit, so it can navigate itself using photos of surrounding stars most of the time. The code was uploaded on Sunday. The reboot is planned on Monday.
While such patches were developed for other spacecraft, the mission Manager Patrick Martin said that “it is undoubtedly the most complicated and extensive program rewriting we have done in recent memory.”
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
