*HTML is ON *UBB Code is ON Smilies Legend
Smilies Legend
[b]Validating NASA's Next Mission to Mars[/b] [i]The Lockheed Martin-built InSight Mars lander has completed thermal vacuum testing, preparing the spacecraft for the long journey to the Red Planet.[/i] Preparing a spacecraft for a grueling six month journey to Mars is no easy task, but the engineers at Lockheed Martin have proven the design of NASA's next mission to Mars – InSight. The InSight lander is the first mission to focus on examining the deep interior of Mars and is scheduled for launch in May 2018. Thermal vacuum (TVAC) testing is the most comprehensive testing you can perform on a fully assembled spacecraft prior to its launch. Using a special depressurized chamber, TVAC stresses the design and assembly of the system, validating its integrity and operational capabilities in a simulated, harsh, space-like environment. This milestone came after a long stream of rigorous tests including solar array deployments and electromagnetic interference and compatibility testing. With InSight coming out of TVAC, the team at Lockheed Martin has successfully completed the environmental testing phase and will be finalizing launch preparations over the coming months.
If you have previously registered, but forgotten your password, click here.
*** Click here to review this topic. ***
Contact Us | The Source for Space History & Artifacts
Copyright 1999-2024 collectSPACE. All rights reserved.