Status

The STEREO Ahead observatory is currently performing as expected, and taking science data on a regular basis.

Communications with the STEREO Behind spacecraft were interrupted on October 1, 2014 immediately after a planned reset of the spacecraft performed as part of a test of solar conjunction operations. The spacecraft telemetry indicated an anomaly in the guidance and control system. On Sunday, August 21, 2016, contact was reestablished with the STEREO Behind spacecraft for the first time in 22 months. However, no signal has been received since September 23, 2016, which indicates that the spacecraft's orbital motion has carried it to a position where either the low gain antennae cannot currently communicate with Earth, or the solar panels are not sufficiently illuminated. Four years after the initial loss of communications anomaly with the Behind observatory, NASA directed that periodic recovery operations cease with the last support on October 17, 2018. Follow this link for more information.

Launched in 2006, the STEREO mission achieved its prime science goals within the two-year prime mission, but continues to explore solar and heliospheric activity through the current solar maxmimum and beyond.