ESA on course for Artemis satellite rescue
The first two steps in the recovery of the Artemis satellite have taken place. The satellite went into the wrong orbit due to a malfunction on its launcher's upper stage following lift off on 12 July. The plan to get the satellite back onto the correct orbit consists of four steps, the first two of which had been successfully completed by 24 July. This has left the satellite in a circular parking orbit at 31,000 km above the Earth. 'The satellite is in quasi-nominal mode fully under control of the ESA/Alenia Spazio-Telespazio team, pointing at the Earth, with the solar panels tracking the sun, while not yet in geostationary orbit,' said ESA sources. The next two steps in rectifying the satellite's situation will be initialising the craft's ion engines and then the final step of 'spiralling' the craft from a parking to a geostationary position will start in September, and is expected to last several months.