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Posted by tourdemars to Reconnaissance Orbiter at August 9, 2004 11:25 PM
With one very busy year remaining before launch, the team preparing NASA's next mission to Mars has begun integrating and testing the spacecraft's versatile payload. Possible launch dates from Cape Canaveral, Florida, for NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter begin Aug. 10, 2005. The spacecraft will reach Mars seven months later to study the surface, subsurface and atmosphere with the most powerful instrument suite ever flown to the red planet. "Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is a quantum leap in our spacecraft and instrument capabilities at Mars," said James Graf, the mission's project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "Weighing 2,180 kilograms [4,806 pounds] at launch, the spacecraft will be the largest ever to orbit Mars.TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.marsnews.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/784
Technically, MRO mission is long overdue. The super rovers having serious geological,imaging, and traveling limitations. For the average layperson,one should expect more for a billion. It is a tribute to the engineers to get these reasonable current results from the rovers. Now we wait for a 1 1/2 years to search potential targeted areas for water, habitat, etc. Then, we wait for the MSL mission for specific location findings on the ground etc. Mmany people will feel that these technological missions for these desired scientific goals should have happened long ago. People will carefully watch the European orbiter's radar search in coming months for specific strong water locations along the equator etc.
John C Redfern Writer, Economist, Consultant
Posted by: John C Redfern at August 10, 2004 12:04 PM
Last I knew we were still waiting on the antenna for deployment since a report said that when it was extended it could whip the craft and possibly damage it due to the length of the device.
Posted by: Harold LaValley at August 10, 2004 12:20 PM
Actually thats the ESA's Mars Express you are thinking of.
Posted by: Zach at August 10, 2004 07:06 PM
Yes Zach, you are right in the ESA's Mars Express that is orbiting Mars right now.
That is what I had thought the European orbiter's radar, which John had mentioned at the end of his post was meaning. I do not want to put words in his mouth though if he meant some other probe.
Good that you are keeping me on my toes though.
Posted by: Harold LaValley at August 11, 2004 04:39 AM
=)
If I don't who will? Btw, very interesting comments by spacenut on the 'other site'. I don't think I've ever asked you what your political persuasion is?
Posted by: zach at August 12, 2004 03:35 AM
Zach: With the two candidates that are running, I am not sure which would be the better of the two evils. One vote just not cut it when a write in is made. Maybe in four years better candidates will be running but until then we may be in suvival mode.
Posted by: Harold LaValley at August 12, 2004 06:00 AM