[Sci/Tech] NASA Baffled by Unexplained Force Acting on Space Probes

[The Helper]

Mysteriously, five spacecraft that flew past the Earth have each displayed unexpected anomalies in their motions.

These newfound enigmas join the so-called "Pioneer anomaly" as hints that unexplained forces may appear to act on spacecraft.

A decade ago, after rigorous analyses, anomalies were seen with the identical Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft as they hurtled out of the solar system. Both seemed to experience a tiny but unexplained constant acceleration toward the sun.

A host of explanations have been bandied about for the Pioneer anomaly. At times these are rooted in conventional science — perhaps leaks from the spacecraft have affected their trajectories. At times these are rooted in more speculative physics — maybe the law of gravity itself needs to be modified.

Read more about this here.

 

[seph ir oth]

Both seemed to experience a tiny but unexplained constant acceleration toward the sun.

Gravity? >.>

They stated that the law of gravity may need redoing. It seems to me that the sun's gravity just seems strong enough that it's pulling in the spacecraft towards itself. Well, it doesn't give the exact acceleration figures, so maybe I'm just being stupid.

 

[Varine]

Gravity? >.>

They stated that the law of gravity may need redoing. It seems to me that the sun's gravity just seems strong enough that it's pulling in the spacecraft towards itself. Well, it doesn't give the exact acceleration figures, so maybe I'm just being stupid.

It would make sense, as the sun's gravitational force keeps everything orbiting around it, or it was at a point of orbit around the Earth that they didn't expect so it was further away and thus more vulnerable to the Sun's force. OR maybe it's getting too hot and is turning into a black hole so it's gravity is stronger?

 

[Asehujiko]

Our sun is far too light to turn into a black hole and it should stay in "star mode" for about 5 billion years from now on.

The reason most junk here isn't dragged into the sun is because it's flying circles. It moves at a 90 degree angle towards the center of gravity and the rate of the angle decreasing is equal to the directional changes towards the sun.

Space probes don't have that advantage and begin to fall almost immediaty.

 

[esb]

How long have those things been up there? They could have collected strange things, maybe causing an attraction (like a magnet) to something, or repel. Can't other things also push it? Like an object passing by (like wind, although there isn't any up there is there?).
I've seen and read somewhere that most probes/satellites/w.e in space, use very slight force (the force of a paper pushing down on your hand) that can build up to pretty high speed, maybe the same is happening.

 

[Lunarios]

Even if the sun were to become a black hole, it would lose some mass in the process. Which means no matter how compact it is, it will still have less gravitational force.

That does make sense, ESB. If the spacecraft was lighter or heavier then predicted, then the trivial difference would build up over time, as it would be easier or harder to accelerate...

I like it.