For a spacecraft launched half a century ago, it's unbelievable that it still works at all.
Because a variation in force is a cycle of stress, which is more destructive than constant force. It's called hysteresis, leading to material fatigue.
For a spacecraft launched half a century ago, it's unbelievable that it still works at all.
Because a variation in force is a cycle of stress, which is more destructive than constant force. It's called hysteresis, leading to material fatigue.