re keeping spacecraft on after funding cuts in article apr zeus calpoly edu jgreen trumpet calpoly edu james thomas green writes why do spacecraft have to be shut off after funding cuts for example why couldn t magellan just be told to go into a safe mode and stay bobbing about venus in a low power use mode and if maybe in a few years if funding gets restored after the economy gets better hopefully it could be turned on again one consideration to remember is that if you don t turn it off now you may not be able to later this isn t a case of reaching over and flipping a switch much of the spacecraft has to be working correctly to execute a turn off command successfully spacecraft do malfunction in their old age the big concern is not radio clutter from idle spacecraft but radio clutter from malfunctioning spacecraft that can no longer be turned off all work is one man s work henry spencer u of toronto zoology kipling henry zoo toronto edu utzoo henry
