Washington: The ongoing partial US government shutdown has endangered a sculpture that was recently launched into orbit, a media report said Friday.
The sculpture, “Orbital Reflector” by American artist Trevor Paglen, is stuck in a holding pattern before activation, pending clearance by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), The New York Times reported.
According to Paglen, his sculpture might not survive the wait while FCC workers are on furlough or work without pay.
A 100-foot-long mylar balloon coated with titanium oxide, “Orbital Reflector” was designed to be visible to the naked eye at twilight or dawn while in orbit for a couple of months.
It would then incinerate upon entering the Earth’s thicker atmosphere.
But although it was sent to space, the balloon was never inflated as planned.
A small satellite carrying the sculpture and its inflation mechanism went into orbit December 3 as part of a larger load launched by the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Paglen said that afterward, his team did extensive “orbital analysis” to ensure a collision-free trajectory and secure FCC clearance to inflate.
But communication from the FCC soon ceased after the shutdown took place December 22.
“What we’re concerned about is that every time the satellite goes into sunlight, the entire thing heats up, and then in Earth’s shadow it gets really cold and contracts. If you let this process go on too long, it can damage the electronics,” Paglen told The New York Times.
“It’s not designed to live indefinitely,” he said, adding, “We would really like to deploy this.”
Also, US space agency NASA has indefinitely postponed its Day of Remembrance ceremony dedicated to space heroes, who gave their lives for space exploration, due to the ongoing government shutdown.
The ceremony scheduled for January 31 has been postponed by NASA, Administrator Jim Bridenstine said, until the agency’s employees start working again. This would ensure their participation in the annual commemoration, the space.com reported.
“NASA’s annual Day of Remembrance reminds us to reflect on not just the sacrifices that have been made by our fallen family, friends and co-workers, but also to remind us of our core values of safety, integrity and teamwork as we carry out our history-making missions,” Bridenstine said.
“Unfortunately, most of our NASA family are on furlough, and we recognise that participation in many of the Day of Remembrance activities would be a challenge.”
The Day of Remembrance marks the agency’s three most serious tragedies, all of which occurred in late January or early February.
Apollo 1, which burned during a launch simulation on January 27, 1967; the Challenger space shuttle, which exploded a minute after liftoff on January 28, 1986; and the Columbia space shuttle, which burned during re-entry February 1, 2003, in which Indian-American astronaut Kalpana Cahwla also lost her life.
NASA centres across the country arrange ceremonies to mark the deaths, with some events including family members of astronauts who have died while working for NASA.
The shutdown has caused museums in Washington to close and has put exhibitions like the National Gallery of Art’s Tintoretto show, originally scheduled to open March 10, at risk.
(With agency inputs)
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