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Russian space telescope still not responding to Earth’s command — Roscosmos

Specialists will try another method of sending control commands to the radio telescope on Wednesday, Roscosmos representative Alexander Bolshenko said

MOSCOW, January 14. /TASS/. Another attempt to restore control over Russia’s radio telescope Spektr-R has failed, Alexander Bloshenko, adviser on science to the chief of Russia’s state space corporation Roscosmos, told TASS on Monday.

"As of 10:30pm Moscow time, Monday’s program was implemented in full. Regrettably, we have failed to establish radio contact with the satellite," he said.

According to Bloshenko, two control centers — Ussuriisk and Medvezhyi Ozera — were involved in Monday’s effort. "Now, the situation is being analyzed, and proposals on further action are being prepared," he said.

He said that the data receiving center in Pushchino on Monday saw the carrier signal of the data transmitter, which indirectly proves that the telescope’s onboard equipment is operational.

He also said that specialists will try another method of sending control commands to the radio telescope on Wednesday. Tuesday’s effort will only repeat what was attempted on Monday, he added.

The previous attempt to restore control of the satellite was made on January 13.