# Unraveling the Enigma of a Satellite's Orientation Challenge
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Chapter 1: A Personal Journey
In 1970, I served as a medic in the US Army stationed in South Vietnam, where I cared for patients. By 1980, I found myself as a physicist in a NASA mission control room, striving to prevent a satellite from becoming mere space debris.
My Army service concluded in 1971, and I returned to academia, ultimately earning my Ph.D. in physics in 1977. However, I was apprehensive about remaining in the academic environment for too long. My military experience had instilled in me a desire for excitement beyond the confines of a university setting.
Eager for a new challenge, I joined Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) in 1977, embarking on a journey with NASA’s Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) satellite.
On February 14, 1980, NASA launched SMM to investigate solar flares and sunspots amid the peak of the sun’s 11-year cycle. Although the launch was successful, the satellite encountered a significant issue: it was tumbling in its orbit.
Its star trackers were unable to identify any stars, leaving us in the dark regarding its orientation in space. Understanding its attitude was crucial, as we needed to stabilize it using thrusters and position its scientific instruments toward the sun.
This narrative unfolds through three lenses: personal, technical, and psychological.
> Quote: “High school students could do a better job!” exclaimed a NASA executive, voicing his frustration in the SMM mission control room.
Section 1.1: The Pressure of Reputation
Despite our expertise in physics and astronomy, the stakes were high. Solving the SMM dilemma was particularly important to me as it marked my inaugural role as a physicist. The pressure was palpable; I had contributed to the mathematical models central to the satellite’s issues, and I sensed that the executive's concerns mirrored my own.
Working on a NASA mission was exhilarating, but the urgency of the situation was more than I had anticipated.
Section 1.2: A Hypothetical Adventure
To grasp SMM’s predicament, envision being launched into orbit in a spacesuit, tumbling uncontrollably with limbs pointing in various directions. Your sensors relay information to a computer in your backpack, ideally helping you determine your orientation. With this data, you could adjust your thrusters and stabilize your trajectory, directing your instruments toward your target.
Imagine being like a superhero, arms outstretched, gazing downward.
| width: | 800 :alt: Astronaut in space |
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However, there’s a hitch: the star trackers on your waist are malfunctioning. The star patterns they detect don’t match those stored in your system, distorting your perception and leaving you disoriented, as if you’ve tumbled through a wormhole into an unfamiliar galaxy.
NASA designed SMM to identify star patterns to refine its attitude, but it was perceiving unexpected patterns, leading to frustration for the NASA executive.
Chapter 2: Technical Troubleshooting
Fortunately, our NASA supervisor intervened, allowing us to focus on diagnosing the issue without external pressure. In a secluded room, we collaborated to identify and propose a solution.
The left image below illustrates the view captured by the star tracker, while the right image demonstrates the expected image.
| width: | 800 :alt: Star tracker view |
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To rectify the issue, we modified the star tracker algorithm, implementing two critical steps: rotating the image by 90 degrees and then mirroring it.
| width: | 800 :alt: Correcting the star tracker algorithm |
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Despite our pre-launch tests, it remained unclear why the algorithm was incorrect. Was there a communication breakdown between the manufacturer and our team? Fortunately, the update was straightforward to upload, and SMM went on to have a successful scientific mission.
Chapter 3: Psychological Insights
| width: | 800 :alt: Distorted map of stars |
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The SMM faced a distorted star map, paralleling how individuals can possess a skewed perception of reality. Distortions can lead us into dilemmas when we make incorrect assumptions, shaping frames of reference that hinder our understanding.
One such frame is the "blame frame," where individuals seek a single cause for a negative situation. This behavior often manifests in political discourse. Blame complicates problem-solving and hampers communication.
Our NASA supervisor shielded us from the executive's criticism, who seemed impatient with our progress. Yet, throughout the crisis, we focused on the mission's success rather than placing blame.
The executive’s frustration was evident when he labeled us as less competent than high school students. Did he believe that criticism would spur us to expedite our efforts?
In contrast, our supervisor’s supportive approach created a positive atmosphere, encouraging us to brainstorm solutions without pressure.
Postscript: An Unexpected Setback
In December 1980, SMM faced another challenge when a fuse within its attitude control system blew, causing the satellite to wobble and halting its scientific mission. Jokes circulated about the impracticality of including a fuse on a satellite, as if someone would be sent to replace it.
In reality, NASA designed SMM for serviceability, and the satellite was placed in sleep mode for three years until the Challenger Space Shuttle was launched. Astronauts then moved SMM into the shuttle's payload bay for repairs.
I continued working on NASA contracts with CSC until 1986 before shifting to other projects. I retired from CSC in 2014, but my experience with SMM remains one of my most thrilling and challenging endeavors.
Have you ever faced a challenging experience at work that left a lasting impression?
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