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From: eugene@ames.UUCP (Eugene Miya)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Voyager 2/Uranus and spacesuits
Message-ID: <905@ames.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 1-Apr-85 15:27:32 EST
Article-I.D.: ames.905
Posted: Mon Apr  1 15:27:32 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 4-Apr-85 06:25:42 EST
References: <1349@decwrl.UUCP>
Organization: NASA-Ames Research Center, Mtn. View, CA
Lines: 25

> Can someone on the net tell us something about Voyager's health?

I am surprised no one from jpl-vlsi answered this one.  I just spoke to old
friends on the project[just for the Net].  They describe Voyager as creaking
along.  The major damage [which is difficult to access, by the way] is due
to radiation.  They are not certain of the degree, and this is a major problem.
Part has to do with the electronics [avionics?], computer memories, the optics
on some instruments have some damage [lenses are somewhat tinted (but you
won't notice this on images), etc.].
There were communications problems early in the mission, but the initial note
covered this.  Several other systems are working on backup mode, etc.

On Space suits, a different posting.  We have a couple here.  The typical
suit here has about 20 layers of fabric each for different purposes: thermal,
chemical reactivity (teflon in this case), pressure, etc.  They are thinking
about more advanced suits [not here] but the newer generation of non-custom
suits has to get more flying time before new designs get considered and
bugs get shaken out of the current designs.

Personal note: my casts are off and replaced with braces on my arm and leg.

--eugene miya
  NASA Ames Research Center
  {hplabs,ihnp4,dual,hao,vortex}!ames!aurora!eugene
  emiya@ames-vmsb.ARPA