Poof! it’s gone…

Y2:D103 – At 1:29:24 local time Voyager V met it’s intended fate, crashing into the surface of Duna’s moon Ike at at over 1400 meters per second.

However it almost didn’t happen. As the probe neared the Dunaian system, it became clear that the probe wasn’t going to impact as previously predicted. It was on a course to pass slightly above, and about half way between Ike and Duna.

Controllers were distressed when the SMNS was unresponsive to commands to perform a corrective maneuverer. Fortunately, this probe had a redundant control system, and after some effort, the AR-202 system was successfully programed to make the required adjustments.

There was a notable failure however, as the delay in corrections produced a situation where Ike was directly between the probe and Kerbin when it was to have transmitted it’s scientific findings back to KSC.

Directors are now weighing options to send another probe to collect the data that Voyager V was to have sent home.