'Unexpected high rotation' sent the probe off course
AN electronic dizzy spell caused by spinning too fast led the European Space Agency probe Schiaparelli to crash land on Mars, an investigation has concluded.
Scientists said “unexpected high rotation” resulted in “saturation” of an instrument in the craft tracking spin rate three minutes after the probe entered the Martian atmosphere. The unexpected input to the Inertial Measurement Unit – exceeding the programmed range – had a knock-on effect that caused a major altitude error in the guidance, navigation and control system software.
The probe plunged to its destruction, hitting the surface at an estimated 540km/h (335mph) on October 19 last year.
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