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Author
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Topic: Mars Rovers Readied For Launch
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42985
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-22-2003 09:40 AM
   
Following up on my previous post:
http://collectspace.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000731.html My friend who arranged my tour of JPL is now at KSC, preparing Mars Exploration Rover-1 (MER-1) for launch. On Friday, they took MER-1 for a drive. He sent along this photo, which I thought others here might enjoy seeing. It shows him with a friend who designed the mobility system, crouching with MER-1.  [This message has been edited by Robert Pearlman (edited March 22, 2003).] |
Philip
Member Posts: 5952
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 03-22-2003 02:05 PM
Excellent photo ROBERT, thx again for sharing it with us ... I have simular photos in my collection of Sojourner being readied for its historic mission to Mars ...
Good to realize that Mars will become a busy place in the next couple of years, the British BEAGLE 2 which will ride on the Mars Explorer of the European Space Agency is also underway to the launchpad ...
www.beagle2.com
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Philip
Member Posts: 5952
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 03-25-2003 05:15 AM
In fact both vehicles are named MER-A and MER-B ... The science package is named ATHENA, after the Greek goddess of wisdom ...
NASA JPL will conduct a poll amount Internet-users to select the names for the 2 Mars Exploration Rovers ...
Exciting mission for sure !
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mer/
http://athena.cornell.edu/home/index.html
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42985
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-25-2003 08:43 AM
Just to clarify, as right now:Ther MER-1 rover will fly on the MER-A mission. Likewise, MER-2 will fly on the MER-B mission. The Planetary Society in partnership with the LEGO Company were selected by JPL to run a contest among students only to name MER-1 and MER-2 (the missions will still be MER-A and MER-B). The contest has already closed to submissions and the announcement of the new names should be made soon. If I had to guess, my money is on the two being named Orville and Wilbur... |
Philip
Member Posts: 5952
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 04-15-2003 02:57 AM
The first of the two Mars Exploration Rovers that will carry out the geological studies is set for launch by Delta II rockets from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on May 30, headed for the Gusev Crater, some 15 degrees south of the planet's equator, where it is scheduled to land on January 4, 2004.
The second Rover will be launched on June 25 destined for the opposite side of Mars to the Meridiani Planum, some two degrees south of the equator. Its landing is scheduled on January 25.
The tricky Martian landings will be slowed by parachutes and cushioned by airbags in a method tested by the Pathfinder mission to Mars in 1997.
The BEAGLE-2 lander which piggy-backs on Europe's Mars Express will also land using cushions ...
Very exciting days to come for Mars-enthusiasts !!! |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42985
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-15-2003 08:20 AM
"The beginning of the launch period for the first of NASA's two Mars Exploration Rover missions will be rescheduled until no earlier than June 6 to allow time to address a potential problem raised during pre-launch tests of the spacecraft over the weekend."
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/status/paylstat/current.htm |
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