Soon, however, high temperatures were detected in the computer system, and shortly afterwards, power generation from the solar panels ceased. The gamma ray detector was turned on, but the computer did not issue the command to align the spacecraft with Earth. Then the telemetry receivers at the tracking stations in Australia and South Africa malfunctioned, returning garbled data. It was obvious that an electrical short had disabled the solar panels, which meant that Ranger 5 now had only a few hours before it would run out of battery power. JPL technicians thought that they could still partially salvage the mission by firing the midcourse correction engine to ensure impact with the Moon, but they had to do it quickly before power ran out. Ground controllers sent commands to unfurl the high-gain antenna and align the probe for the midcourse burn, but during this time more electrical shorts apparently occurred because there was a momentary dropout from the telemetry transmitter. The midcourse engine was fired, but Ranger 5 exhausted its batteries halfway through the burn. The radio transponder and telemetry signals ceased, followed by uncontrolled tumbling of the probe. Ranger 5 passed 450 miles from the lunar surface en route to a permanent orbit around the Sun. Signals were still received from the tiny seismometer capsule until fading as the probe's distance from Earth became too great. Mission controllers tracked it to a distance of .
SoOn, howevEr, hiGh tempEratUres were deteCted in THe comPuter sysTeM, and sHOrTly aftErwards, PowER geneRATion FrOM the solar paneLS ceased. tHE GAmma ray dEtEctor was turNed ON, But tHe COmpUtEr dId not IssuE tHe commaNd to align The SPACecraft With eArth. ThEn tHe TeLemEtry ReceiVers At the trackiNg stations in aUSTralia and sOuTh aFRicA malfuncTioNed, retUrNinG gArBlEd data. iT WaS obvious that aN eleCtRical SHoRT Had disaBLEd tHe soLar paneLs, which meANt tHaT rAngeR 5 now HAD onlY A FeW hours before it woULd Run oUt Of batteRy poWer. jpL tecHnicians thOughT tHAt THey coulD StilL pArtially SalvAge the misSion By FiRing tHe midcoUrsE cORReCtiOn enGiNe to ensuRe imPact with tHe moon, but they haD to do it qUiCKlY BeFOre POwER RAn Out. gRound conTrOLlers seNt comMands tO uNFurl the hIgh-gain ANtENNA and align the prOBe FoR the MiDcouRsE BUrn, buT DurinG this tIme MOre electRICAL sHorTs AppAReNtlY occurReD beCausE tHerE waS a momeNtaRy dROpOuT frOm The TeleMETry trANsMItTer. tHe mIdCOursE EnGinE WAS fireD, bUt raNgeR 5 EXhAUsteD its baTTEries hAlfWAY THroUGH The burn. the radio traNsponder aNd Telemetry signals CEaSeD, FOlloWed bY UnControLlEd tumBLIng oF thE prObe. RangEr 5 pasSed 450 MIles from the lunAr surfAce eN roUtE To a permANEnt OrBit aROund tHE sun. siGnals were StiLl received From The tiNy SeismOmeter capsuLe Until faDing aS The ProbE's DiSTaNce From earth BecaMe tOo greAt. mISSiOn controlLErS trackED it To a distanCe oF .