Surfing the storm

SpIRIT’s Payload Management System (PMS) – the satellite instrument control unit – has been successfully operated for a near-continuous six hour period during the weekend geomagnetic storm as part of the subsystem verification and performance testing activities.

PMS experienced a single anomaly about three hours into the test, which was automatically recovered by the on-board watchdog through a system reboot. Operations resumed autonomously after the recovery. The anomaly is attributed to a radiation event, and the self-recovery was carried out as expected. The Melbourne Space Laboratory is proud of this further indication of the robustness of the subsystem made on campus in Melbourne, which has now been operating in space for over 164 days.

All other payloads on SpIRIT were kept powered off during the week-end as a precautionary measure. Operations for subsystems controlled by PMS have now recommenced.

Image caption: Aurora Australis during the May 11-12 geomagnetic storm, observed by the ISS (Credit: NASA).