Within 36 hours of launch, the instrument's 4-month supply of cryogen was completely exhausted. The WIRE scientific mission was declared lost on March 8, 1999. The root cause of the WIRE mission loss is a digital logic design error in the instrument pyro electronics box, which inadvertently caused the cover to be ejected. The transient performance of components was not adequately considered in the box design resulting in the inadvertent pyrotechnic device firing during the initial pyro electronics box power-up. An equally important question is why did the mission fail.
Spacecraft systems go through a variety of analyses, simulations, tests, and reviews.
These will be discussed showing why the error resulted in a mishap on-orbit. A review of launcher and spacecraft performance and failures in the industry over the last decade will be reviewed. Trends will be presented and discussed. Note that the .ppt file is smaller and will download faster. Abstract Architecture and process, combined, significantly affect the hardness of programmable technologies.