Dec 9 2003
From The Space Library
JAXA spokesperson, Junichi Moriuma, announced that JAXA had failed in its final effort to return the Nozomi craft to the correct trajectory for orbiting Mars. Insufficient fuel supplies had prevented the craft's engines from firing. Nozomi~Hope~had been traveling toward Mars for five years and was schedule to arrive in one week. JAXA had planned for Nozomi to examine the Martian atmosphere's interaction with the solar wind, to determine whether the planet has a magnetic field. During its journey from Earth to Mars, Nozomi had experienced several malfunctions that had altered its trajectory, placing it on a course that was too low and causing concern that the spacecraft would crash into Mars, possibly contaminating the surface. JAXA officials stated that, although they had failed to place the craft on the correct trajectory, they had greatly reduced the probability of the craft's colliding with Mars. Instead, the craft would escape Mars's gravitational field and enter a long-term orbit of the solar system. Moriuma remarked that Japanese scientists would continue to modify Nozomi, allowing it to carry out alternative missions, such as monitoring solar activity. (Kenji Hall for the Associated Press, “Japan Quits Mars Mission as Probe Strays,” 10 December 2003; Jason Testar for Canadian Press, “Japanese Fail To Salvage Mars Mission Carrying Canadian Research Instrument,” 10 December 2003.
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