According to an ESA news release: Ulysses, the mission to study the Sun’s poles is coming to an end. After more than 17 years in space – almost four times its expected lifetime – the mission is finally succumbing to its harsh environment and is likely to finish sometime in the next month or two. Ulysses is a joint mission between ESA and NASA. It was launched in 1990 from The Shuttle Discovery on October 6, 1990. Ulysses was the first mission to study the environment of space above and below the poles of the Sun. Originally designed for a lifetime of five years, the mission has surpassed all expectations. The spacecraft is powered by the decay of a radioactive isotope and over the 17-plus years, the power it has been supplying has been steadily dropping. Now, the spacecraft no longer has enough power to run all of its communications, heating (which keeps its' supply of hydrazine fuel, for maneuvering, from dropping below -20 degrees C at which point it will freeze blocking pipes and making maneuvering impossible) and scientific equipment simultaneously. Though several attempts to conserve power have been partially successful, Ulysses will begin to fail within 1 to 2 years. Nasa plans to continue to operate the craft at reduced capacity until it fails to communicate.
