Space mission hibernation mode design: Lessons learned from Rosetta and other pathfinding missions using hibernation

Spacecraft hibernation is a mode garnering interest for long duration and deep space missions. There are different strategies, motivations, and implementations for hibernation. For example, hibernation was important for the Rosetta mission because of its limited spacecraft resources when the spacecraft ventured to far reaches of the solar system near the orbit of Jupiter. The NASA New Horizons probe to Pluto, on the other hand, is an example of a mission's use of hibernation with a goal to decrease the level of operations, while at the same time reducing spacecraft wear and tear. In the same way, the designers of the other missions using hibernation addressed in the paper, such as Deep Space 1, Spirit, WISE, Stardust/NEXT, and some DoD and NOAA missions, have all benefitted in unique ways from the use of the hibernation technique. The authors hope the summary of the techniques used and lessons learned in implementing hibernation in the described missions will prove valuable to other spacecraft designers whose missions may similarly benefit from the use of this mode.