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Software error doomed Japanese Hitomi spacecraft

scientificamerican.com

31–40 of 72 posts

Re: Software error doomed Japanese Hitomi spacecraft

#31
post #26
post #19

someone committed Harakiri, I guarantee it

We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11603023 and marked it off-topic.

Agreed! Political discussion regarding any topic is definitely off-topic. Lets go ahead and flag this as off-topic! Great job Dan!

Tangentially related(or maybe directly related): would you find it off-topic if I were to openly support Donald Trump?

That said(directly related to the above) If you do indeed think that nationalism is a bad thing can you please let us HN reader know why?

As a White Male you're saying that Harikari is bad? Please defend your stance.

Re: Software error doomed Japanese Hitomi spacecraft

#32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know the expected success rate for these missions, it just seemed odd that each time this particular instrument has been launched, an issue occurred to render it unusable. Maybe it is par for the course, but it does raise suspicions (at least in my mind).

Maybe it's something like the Martian-Anti-Lander-Defense System?

I was thinking more like parties interested in sabotaging the line of research due to personal vendettas against the scientists who would gain from this success, or those who have ideological reasons to block what may be discovered using the technology. I realize this may be far-fetched conjecture, but I'm just sharing my thoughts.

Re: Software error doomed Japanese Hitomi spacecraft

#33

This is just depressing. How was this not tested? This is complete sign reversal of a control output; you'd think it would show up immediately.

Testing a big spacecraft is hard. With a cube sat, you can put it on an air beating and make sure something isn't catastrophically wrong, like the reaction wheels are backwards. You can't do that on a big spacecraft. So instead, there's lots of testing with flight software and a simulator. But what if someone made a mistake interpreting the wheel direction specification to the mechanical body frame, for example?

Re: Software error doomed Japanese Hitomi spacecraft

#35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe it's something like the Martian-Anti-Lander-Defense System?

I was thinking more like parties interested in sabotaging the line of research due to personal vendettas against the scientists who would gain from this success, or those who have ideological reasons to block what may be discovered using the technology. I realize this may be far-fetched conjecture, but I'm just sharing my thoughts.

Sorry, but that's crazy. I was previously involved in this mission. The whole community was really excited to see the first results from the soft X-ray calorimeter. Furthermore, there was going to be an open call for proposals for observations, for any groups to apply to.

Re: Software error doomed Japanese Hitomi spacecraft

#36
post #31
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11603023 and marked it off-topic.

Agreed! Political discussion regarding any topic is definitely off-topic. Lets go ahead and flag this as off-topic! Great job Dan! Tangentially related(or maybe directly related): would you find it off-topic if I were to openly support Donald Trump? That said(directly related to the above) If you do indeed think that nationalism is a bad thing can you please let us HN reader know why? As a White Male you're saying th…

Consider substantiating your down-votes friends?

I have nothing to be ashamed about regarding my above represented personal opinion.

Can anyone liberally inclined explain why a BLM activist can assualt a Trunmp supporter but the opposite would be met with derision?

If someone attacks you(illegally) can you defend yourself or not?

Does the race change the answer?

We're all human.

Re: Software error doomed Japanese Hitomi spacecraft

#37
post #31
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11603023 and marked it off-topic.

Agreed! Political discussion regarding any topic is definitely off-topic. Lets go ahead and flag this as off-topic! Great job Dan! Tangentially related(or maybe directly related): would you find it off-topic if I were to openly support Donald Trump? That said(directly related to the above) If you do indeed think that nationalism is a bad thing can you please let us HN reader know why? As a White Male you're saying th…

Wonderful! Unsubstantiated down-votes and not a single substantive response! Couldn't have hoped for better! Keep it up HN!

Re: Software error doomed Japanese Hitomi spacecraft

#38
post #26
post #19

someone committed Harakiri, I guarantee it

We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11603023 and marked it off-topic.

I actually used to respect you.

You disgust me by what your profile quotes.

Enjoy your existence at the expense of others.

Re: Software error doomed Japanese Hitomi spacecraft

#39

It seems very strange that the 3 missions that would deploy an X-ray calorimeter have all failed. I feel sad for the scientists who have been hoping to get a working one into space for what sounds like over 16 years now (based on the article).

Sophons?

Re: Software error doomed Japanese Hitomi spacecraft

#40
post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was thinking more like parties interested in sabotaging the line of research due to personal vendettas against the scientists who would gain from this success, or those who have ideological reasons to block what may be discovered using the technology. I realize this may be far-fetched conjecture, but I'm just sharing my thoughts.

Sorry, but that's crazy. I was previously involved in this mission. The whole community was really excited to see the first results from the soft X-ray calorimeter. Furthermore, there was going to be an open call for proposals for observations, for any groups to apply to.

Thanks for sharing that. As an aside, I am glad you put that information about the Veusz visualization software in your profile text; I had never heard of it before and want to check it out some more, looks nice.
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