NASA And Japan's Space Agency Continue To Operate XRISM Satellite Despite Problems With Instruments

JAKARTA Satellite instrument X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) experienced problems in January. Initially, this problem wanted to be fixed immediately, but NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) changed their minds. XRISM was only launched in September last year without any problems on satellites or their instruments. However, a few months ago, scientists for the XRISM project said that the gate valve on the Resolve instrument did not want to open. Actually, XRISM could still operate even though the gate valve on its imaging instrument was closed. However, the door made of the belium weakened the X-ray energy down to a lower point. This problem made the observation less maximal so that NASA and JAXA took the initiative to repair its valve. However, on May 7, NASA's Astrophysical Division Director Mark Clampin said that both agencies had changed their minds. We decided that the best action at present is to continue the science program for the next 18 months, said CLAmpin, quoted from Spacenews. He also said that Resolve still produces science even though its valves are problematic.

Clampin explained that the gate valve didn't want to open because there was a hardness problem attached to a single non-explosive actuator. Harness had to be fixed, but technicians needed to let it go and this action could cause interference with the instrument. Therefore, NASA and JAXA decided to maximize the use of XRISM and its instruments before making repairs. If Resolve has been repaired after 18 months of operation, the performance of the instrument will return to its early stages. "There may be obstacles to installed hardness," said Klampin. We believe that currently the lowest risk approximation is to continue to study science and we will return to the early stages in 18 months.