Someone throw together an IndieGoGo for a 21 gun salute. The crowdfunded project take control of ISEE-3, NASA’s 30-year-old satellite, is kaput. The sad news is a blow to anyone who loves space, science, or stories of redemption by scrappy underdogs.
If you’re just joining us, here’s the backstory: ISEE-3 was a satellite launched in 1978, designed to study the Sun and the Earth. It went dark after its many missions were finished, in 1997. But ISEE-3 kept right on flying—and NASA didn’t even realize it. Cut to a few years ago, when it realized she was still out there, sending communication signals that fell on deaf ears. Though NASA didn’t have the funds to reestablish contact and start using the satellite again. So a group of resourceful scientists, space writers, and fans started a crowdfunding project to do it themselves, ultimately raising $160,000 to fund the project.
via Gizmodo
