Back in January of this year, the European Galileo satellite program experienced failures in several of their atomic clocks - here and here. Of particular interest is the following from the second link:
Particularly worrying is that both types of clocks are affected – six Hydrogen Masers and three of the Rubidium devices are currently out of commission. The issue is further complicated by the fact that clock failures occurred on two different satellite platforms, one built by Airbus and Thales Alenia as part of the In-Orbit Validation (IOV) satellite series and the other by OHB Systems that is the prime contractor for the operational Galileo satellites.
These satellites are designed to provide location and timing services much like our GPS and Russia's GLONASS. This report indicates that they have found the problem although details are very skimpy - from the Galileo website:
Problem behind failing clocks identified
Investigators have uncovered the problems behind the failure of atomic clocks onboard Galileo satellites, the European Commission said.
For months, the European Space Agency has been investigating the reasons behind failing clocks onboard some of the 18 Galileo navigation satellites.
Each Galileo satellite has four ultra-accurate atomic timekeepers, two that use rubidium and two hydrogen maser. But a satellite needs just one working clock for the satnav to work, the rest are spares.
Three rubidium and six hydrogen maser clocks were not working, with one satellite sporting two failed timekeepers.
“The main causes of the malfunctions have been identified and measures have been put in place to reduce the possibility of further malfunctions of the satellites already in space,” commission spokeswoman Lucia Caudet said.
I am sure that the details will be released in some quiet paper in about six months or so - long enough for some engineer's face to no longer be quite the shade of beet red that it is now. An orbiting satellite is not something you can call back to the shop for a repair...
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