Mission

What will DS1 do on its mission?

How will we know if new technologies on DS1 work?

DS1 is constantly sending information back to Earth about its location, what it is doing, and what the results of its scientific investigations are. NASA engineers understand all the onboard systems, how they interrelate, and what they are going to do on the mission. Since NASA engineers and scientists know what the data will look like if the new technologies work correctly, they can tell from DS1's telemetry if the technologies are working. For example, if photo data or infrared images stop coming back, they will know that MICAS is not working. On the other hand, if the ship stays on schedule and on course, they will know that both kinds of propulsion and the AutoNav unit are working.


What new technologies are being tested on DS1?
How does DS1 take pictures?
How does NASA run space missions?
What is telemetry?
What is AutoNav?
Why does DS1 have two types of propulsion?

What is MICAS?
How is NASA overseeing the DS1 mission?

Why are we testing new technologies on DS1?