The team was able to use this readout, which contained the computer's code and variables, to ascertain that approximately 3 percent of the FDS memory had been corrupted.
Two leading theories are that the chip has simply worn out having spent 46 years in space, or that an energetic particle might have damaged it.
Although it may take weeks or months, engineers are optimistic they can find a way for the FDS to operate normally without the unusable memory hardware.
Computer problems caused by cosmic rays and energetic particles have long challenged spacecraft designers.
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