The observatory is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack, which is recharged using solar power during summer and using diesel generators during winter. But in the event of a winter-time malfunction, electronic systems quickly cold-soak to -70C (-94F) or below. Temperatures like these can corrupt flash memory and disable control systems, so careful and specialised design is required. Photo courtesy of G.S.
The observatory is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack, which is recharged using solar power during summer and using diesel generators during winter. But in the event of a winter-time malfunction, electronic systems quickly cold-soak to -70C (-94F) or below. Temperatures like these can corrupt flash memory and disable control systems, so careful and specialised design is required. Photo courtesy of G.S.
