re command loss timer re galileo update in article apr bnr ca agc bmdhh bnr ca alan carter writes a no op command was sent to reset the command loss timer this activity is regularly reported in ron s interesting posts could someone explain what the command loss timer is if i m not mistaken this is the usual sort of precaution against loss of communications that timer is counting down continuously if it ever hits zero that means galileo hasn t heard from earth in a suspiciously long time and it may be galileo s fault so it s time to go into a fallback mode that minimizes chances of spacecraft damage and maximizes chances of restoring contact i don t know exactly what all galileo does in such a situation but a common example is to switch receivers on the theory that maybe the one you re listening with has died all work is one man s work henry spencer u of toronto zoology kipling henry zoo toronto edu utzoo henry
