Deep Space 1

Deep Space 1 ( DS1 or short ) was an American space probe, which was launched in 1998 for the exploration of an asteroid and a comet. DS1 was the first mission under the " New Millennium Programs" to explore new technologies.

Mission

Within the mission Deep Space 1 ( Engl.: deep space ) should mainly new technologies - especially a xenon ion drive - be tried. The target object was initially the asteroid Braille ( catalog code: 1992 KD1 ) were selected. At the Mission Germany was involved.

The name of the probe (not, as is often reported, based on the Star Trek series Deep Space Nine ) NASA selected because of the tested technologies for deep - space missions.

Course

• Deep Space 1 was launched on 24 October 1998 on a Delta II launch vehicle.
• The asteroid ( 9969 ) Braille passed the probe on 29 July 1999 in 26 km distance. There were a lot of data, but due to an incorrect orientation of the camera only a few images are acquired from a distance.
• As yet the reaction mass in the ion drive was available, the probe flew on September 22, 2001 comet 19P/Borrelly in about 2200 km Distance from over. This time could not only data but also numerous images are acquired.
• December 18, 2001 Deep Space 1 was switched off.

Results

Deep Space 1 was technically a success, the ion drive proved. In scientific terms, Deep Space 1 was a lot to their credit, including the first measurement of an asteroid 's magnetic field in Braille.

Technology

Main processor was the IBM RAD6000 on which the real-time operating system VxWorks was used.