A private asteroid probe, Odin, is tumbling through space after its launch on February 26. The spacecraft was built to visit the small asteroid 2022 OB5 and gather data for AstroForge’s future mining mission. However, just hours after liftoff, the company experienced communication issues with ground stations, which hindered efforts to fix potential problems.
The probe was designed to last only 2.5 hours on its internal battery but received a boost in confidence when it sent back power readings 20 hours after launch. Nevertheless, Odin is now tumbling at a slow pace, and the cause remains unknown. AstroForge’s mission team is working over the weekend to recover the vehicle, although options may be limited.
AstroForge aims to mine asteroids for resources on Earth and in space. The company’s founder, Matt Gialich, has expressed confidence that they will continue with their next mission, Vestri, despite the setbacks. With some of the best investors in the world backing them, AstroForge plans to roll over its findings into the next mission, which is expected to take place about a year from now.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/think-know-hope-fading-private-173806646.html