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Course Correction successful, Rover Checks complete
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March 26, 2012
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Image: NASA/JPL/Caltech
Close-Up Animation of an Engine Burn on MSL
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The Mars Science Laboratory Spacecraft has successfully completed its second Course Correction Maneuver on March 26, 2012. In addition to that, Instrument Checkouts on the Curiosity Rover have shown that the Science Equipment is in operating condition.
The second of six planned Trajectory Correction Maneuvers was performed as the Spacecraft is now beyond the half-way-mark of its Cruise Phase. MSL’s thrusters were fired for nearly nine minutes to adjust the vehicle’s Trajectory slightly aiming at the correct landing zone on Mars. Tracking Data indicated that the Maneuver was completed successfully. Trajectory corrections with the rotating MSL Spacecraft are very complex. The first part of the maneuver consisted of a three minute firing of each thruster set to change velocity along the direction of the axis of rotation. MSL has a total of 8 engines divided into two sets of four thrusters. Afterwards, a total of 60 pulses were made by the two sets of engines. |
Each set ignited for five seconds when the vehicle’s rotation put that set at the correct orientation. The pulses occurred in 10-second intervals This is done to change the velocity in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation.
"It is satisfying to get the second maneuver under our belts and know we are headed in the right direction," said JPL's Erisa Hines, systems lead for the maneuver. "The cruise system continues to perform very well."
Meanwhile, all of Curiosity’s ten Science Instruments underwent checkouts. The Radiation Assessment Detector has been powered up before and continues to gather data on the Radiation Environment on the Cruise to Mars. All other instruments were checked for the first time in space. The various payloads involving cameras acquired dark images to verify camera performance. Pressure Sensors of the REMS – Rover Environmental Monitoring Station – measured the vacuum of space to provide a calibration point. With this important milestone now complete, it has been confirmed that all Science Instruments aboard the Rover are in excellent condition – ready to start the Science Phase of the Mission once deployed on Mars.
As of 22:00 GMT on March 26, MSL had completed 309.2 Million Kilometers of its 567-Million Kilometer Journey to Mars (192.1 Million Miles of 352 Million Miles total). Relative to its reference point in the Solar System, the Sun, the Spacecraft was traveling at a relative velocity of 90,922kph (56,496mph). Now cruising at a Distance of 4 Light-Minutes to Earth, MSL is speeding at a relative Velocity of 52,273 Kilometers per Hour (32,481mph). 4 Light-Minutes translates to 71.84 Million Kilometers and 44.64 Million Miles. At 22:00 GMT on Monday, the Spacecraft was ‘only’ 3.05 Light Minutes or 54.85 Million Kilometers (34.1 Million Miles) from Mars moving at a relative velocity of 30,150 Kilometers per Hour (18,734 Miles per Hour). With the mission on track and all spacecraft systems in pristine condition, everything is on track for landing on August 6 (GMT).
"It is satisfying to get the second maneuver under our belts and know we are headed in the right direction," said JPL's Erisa Hines, systems lead for the maneuver. "The cruise system continues to perform very well."
Meanwhile, all of Curiosity’s ten Science Instruments underwent checkouts. The Radiation Assessment Detector has been powered up before and continues to gather data on the Radiation Environment on the Cruise to Mars. All other instruments were checked for the first time in space. The various payloads involving cameras acquired dark images to verify camera performance. Pressure Sensors of the REMS – Rover Environmental Monitoring Station – measured the vacuum of space to provide a calibration point. With this important milestone now complete, it has been confirmed that all Science Instruments aboard the Rover are in excellent condition – ready to start the Science Phase of the Mission once deployed on Mars.
As of 22:00 GMT on March 26, MSL had completed 309.2 Million Kilometers of its 567-Million Kilometer Journey to Mars (192.1 Million Miles of 352 Million Miles total). Relative to its reference point in the Solar System, the Sun, the Spacecraft was traveling at a relative velocity of 90,922kph (56,496mph). Now cruising at a Distance of 4 Light-Minutes to Earth, MSL is speeding at a relative Velocity of 52,273 Kilometers per Hour (32,481mph). 4 Light-Minutes translates to 71.84 Million Kilometers and 44.64 Million Miles. At 22:00 GMT on Monday, the Spacecraft was ‘only’ 3.05 Light Minutes or 54.85 Million Kilometers (34.1 Million Miles) from Mars moving at a relative velocity of 30,150 Kilometers per Hour (18,734 Miles per Hour). With the mission on track and all spacecraft systems in pristine condition, everything is on track for landing on August 6 (GMT).
Current Position
Photo: NASA - JPL Solar System Simulator
MSL hits Half-Way-Mark of its Journey to Mars
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March 15, 2012
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NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory Mission is progressing well as the Spacecraft has now crossed the 'Half-Way-Mark' of its Cruise (in Distance covered relative to the Sun). This imaginary point was crossed in the morning hours (UTC) of Thursday, March 15, 2012 at around 8:00.
The Spacecraft is operating normally. Communications with NASA’s Deep Space Network are solid and data rates are as expected. Curiosity, encapsulated in its Aeroshell which is joined to the Cruise Stage, is continuing to collect Radiation Data with its Radiation Assessment Detector that is located inside the Rover and remains active. The Cruise Stage is providing a stable power supply and the combined spacecraft is spinning at about 2rpm. All Systems are working normally with no major issues being worked by the team. |
Image: NASA - SPL Solar System Simulator
MSL hitting the Half-Way-Mark of its Cruise (Distance traveled rel. to Sun)
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Meanwhile on Earth, Mission Personnel is busy with Procedure and Software Development
in preparation for MSL’s Landed Mission that is starting just after
Landing on August, 6. Developing Flight Software during the Mission’s
Cruise Phase is a nominal procedure that has been performed on previous
Rover Missions. At JPL, engineers can test the Software on an identical
Curiosity double and make sure that all commands will be executed
properly on Mars. Currently, teams are busy with Driving Software.
As of 20:00 UTC today, MSL had completed 284.7 Million Kilometers of its 567-Million Kilometer Trip to Mars (176.9 Million Miles of 352 Million Miles). (These numbers are relative to the Sun as MSL’s point of reference in the Solar System.) MSL was 59.67 Million Kilometers from Earth (37.1M Miles) moving at a relative velocity of 46,278 Kilometers per Hours (28,756mph). One Way Signal-Travel-Time was 3 Minutes and 19 Seconds. At 20 UTC on Thursday, the Spacecraft was 63.2 Million Kilometers (39.3M Miles) from Mars traveling at a relative speed of 34,187kph(21,243mph). Relative to the Sun, MSL was moving 93,508kph (58,103mph).
Entry, Descent and Landing is currently set for August 6, 2012 (UTC). The exact time of landing will be refined during the Approach Phase which will start 45 days prior to EDL and include several small maneuvers to pin-point the targeted landing area at Gale Crater. Until then, the MSL Mission will remain in its Cruise Phase with the Spacecraft configured accordingly.
As of 20:00 UTC today, MSL had completed 284.7 Million Kilometers of its 567-Million Kilometer Trip to Mars (176.9 Million Miles of 352 Million Miles). (These numbers are relative to the Sun as MSL’s point of reference in the Solar System.) MSL was 59.67 Million Kilometers from Earth (37.1M Miles) moving at a relative velocity of 46,278 Kilometers per Hours (28,756mph). One Way Signal-Travel-Time was 3 Minutes and 19 Seconds. At 20 UTC on Thursday, the Spacecraft was 63.2 Million Kilometers (39.3M Miles) from Mars traveling at a relative speed of 34,187kph(21,243mph). Relative to the Sun, MSL was moving 93,508kph (58,103mph).
Entry, Descent and Landing is currently set for August 6, 2012 (UTC). The exact time of landing will be refined during the Approach Phase which will start 45 days prior to EDL and include several small maneuvers to pin-point the targeted landing area at Gale Crater. Until then, the MSL Mission will remain in its Cruise Phase with the Spacecraft configured accordingly.
MSL Computer Problem Resolved
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February 9, 2012
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The Mars Science Laboratory Spacecraft has a fully functional Navigation System once again after a star tracker software issue was resolved by Mission Controllers.
On November 29, 2011 – three days after launch, a restart of the onboard computer system was triggered by software used to support star-tracking capabilities. Mission Personnel on Earth have been working with a duplicate computer to reproduce the result and understand the issue. Engineers were able to obtain some data as the duplicate computers showed the same behaviour a few times out of thousands of attempts. While diagnosing the problem, MSL ran on its Inertial Measurement Unit that was calibrated on December 21, 2011 for use as a backup for the onboard celestial navigation system. During the first Trajectory Correction Maneuver, the spacecraft’s backup instruments provided navigational data. |
Photo: JPL/Caltech
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In
January 2012, teams identified the problem and a procedure to fix it was
developed. This repair procedure involved a reconfiguration of
registers in the memory management of the computer. A test computer on
Earth was used to replicate the failure of the system and to test the
new configuration. No repeat of the erratic behavior was registered and
the reconfiguration on the actual spacecraft was made during the week of
January 30. This week, teams verified that the system was running
properly. The root cause of the problem was identified to be a
previously unknown design idiosyncrasy that could result in cache errors
that lead to commands not being executed as expected. On January 26,
the vehicle performed a minor alignment activity using its star and sun
trackers. The Star Scanner detected Mars and MSL is now flying with its
target in sight. Nominal use of the Star Tracking System resumed this
week after the reset of November.
All other Spacecraft Systems are performing well. The Cruise stage solar array is providing 704 Watts of power. Communications with Earth are solid at 1 kilobit per second for uplink and 800 bits per second for downlink. The vehicle is spinning at 1.97 rotations per minute.
As of 20:20 GMT (3:20pm EST) on February 9, 2012, MSL was 29.6 Million Kilometers (18.4 Million Miles) from Earth cruising at a relative velocity of 28,130kph (17,480mph). Of its 572-Million-Kilometers Mission, MSL has completed 202 Million Kilometers (125.5M Miles of 352M Miles). Relative to the Sun, the Spacecraft is moving at 102,741kph (63,840mph). MSL is 97 Million Kilometers (60.2M Miles) from Mars traveling at 50,073kph (31,114mph). One-way Signal-Travel-Time is 1 Minute and 39 Seconds as nominal Cruise Operations continue for the Spacecraft and Mission Teams on Earth. The Mission is 178 Days away from Entry, Descent and Landing on Mars.
All other Spacecraft Systems are performing well. The Cruise stage solar array is providing 704 Watts of power. Communications with Earth are solid at 1 kilobit per second for uplink and 800 bits per second for downlink. The vehicle is spinning at 1.97 rotations per minute.
As of 20:20 GMT (3:20pm EST) on February 9, 2012, MSL was 29.6 Million Kilometers (18.4 Million Miles) from Earth cruising at a relative velocity of 28,130kph (17,480mph). Of its 572-Million-Kilometers Mission, MSL has completed 202 Million Kilometers (125.5M Miles of 352M Miles). Relative to the Sun, the Spacecraft is moving at 102,741kph (63,840mph). MSL is 97 Million Kilometers (60.2M Miles) from Mars traveling at 50,073kph (31,114mph). One-way Signal-Travel-Time is 1 Minute and 39 Seconds as nominal Cruise Operations continue for the Spacecraft and Mission Teams on Earth. The Mission is 178 Days away from Entry, Descent and Landing on Mars.
Current Position
Image: NASA - JPL Solar System Simulator
MSL unharmed by Solar Storm, obtains valuable Data
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January 30, 2012
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The Mars
Science Laboratory Spacecraft is continuing its Cruise Phase which is in its 64th
day as of January 30, 2012.
The Radiation Assessment Experiment aboard the Curiosity Rover is also continuing to gather data which are downlinked once every 24 hours. RAD measures Radiation properties and doses the Spacecraft experiences during its Cruise Phase to Mars. It is important to understand the environment future Astronauts will have to travel through in order to reach Mars so that appropriate countermeasures can be taken to protect the flight crew. The experiment will stay active over the entire cruise phase – constantly collecting valuable data. One event that RAD has detected was the massive Solar Storm that ejected large amounts of particles and radiation on January 22. Earth, Mars and MSL were in the path of this coronal mass ejection. RAD Data that was downlinked revealed that MSL had encountered the event and Radiation Data was obtained by the instrument.
RAD was developed and built by the Southwest Research Institute and Christian Albrechts University in Kiel, Germany with funding from NASA and Germany's national aerospace research center (DLR). RAD is hidden deep inside the Spacecraft – tucked in the Curiosity Rover and its Aeroshell which will provide insight about the shielding provided by spacecraft.
Other equipment aboard the Spacecraft has not been harmed by the solar storm as telemetry data coming down from the vehicle has shown.
The Radiation Assessment Experiment aboard the Curiosity Rover is also continuing to gather data which are downlinked once every 24 hours. RAD measures Radiation properties and doses the Spacecraft experiences during its Cruise Phase to Mars. It is important to understand the environment future Astronauts will have to travel through in order to reach Mars so that appropriate countermeasures can be taken to protect the flight crew. The experiment will stay active over the entire cruise phase – constantly collecting valuable data. One event that RAD has detected was the massive Solar Storm that ejected large amounts of particles and radiation on January 22. Earth, Mars and MSL were in the path of this coronal mass ejection. RAD Data that was downlinked revealed that MSL had encountered the event and Radiation Data was obtained by the instrument.
RAD was developed and built by the Southwest Research Institute and Christian Albrechts University in Kiel, Germany with funding from NASA and Germany's national aerospace research center (DLR). RAD is hidden deep inside the Spacecraft – tucked in the Curiosity Rover and its Aeroshell which will provide insight about the shielding provided by spacecraft.
Other equipment aboard the Spacecraft has not been harmed by the solar storm as telemetry data coming down from the vehicle has shown.
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As of
January 30, 2012, 20:45 GMT (3:45pm EST), the MSL Spacecraft was 23.452 Million
Kilometers from Earth (14.572 Million Miles) cruising at a relative velocity of
23,590 Kilometers per Hour (14,658 Miles per Hour). One-Way Signal Travel Time
was 1 Minute and 18 Seconds. Of its 567-Million Kilometer- (352-Million Mile-)
Journey, MSL had completed 177.7 Million Kilomters (110.4 Million Miles) or
31%. The Vehicle is currently 108.59 Million Kilometers (67.48 Million Miles)
or 6 Light-Minutes from Mars. Cruise Velocity relative to the Sun is 105,500 Kilometers per Hour (65,578 Miles per Hour). In 144 Days, the Mission will begin its Approach
Phase setting the stage for landing in 189 days. MSL is in Day 65 of its Mission spanning several years.
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Image: NASA - JPL Solar System Simulator
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MSL now aiming at Mars after successful Course Correction
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January 12, 2012
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The Mars
Science Laboratory completed the first and largest Trajectory Correction
Maneuver on its way to Mars.
At 23:00 GMT (6pm EST) on Wednesday, the complex Course Correction Sequence began. 8 Thrusters divided into two groups of four engines, made more than 200 firings to achieve the proper trajectory. The Maneuver started with a continuous 19-minute burn of one thruster in each of the two sets of four jets along the axis of rotation. To change the velocity perpendicular to that line, each set of thrusters was fired for 5-seconds when the rotation of the vehicle put the thrusters in the correct direction as MSL rotated at 2.04rpm. Over a period of about two hours, these short bursts were repeated for a total of about 40 minutes of burn time to achieve the desired change in velocity. Doppler Tracking revealed that the maneuver was completed successfully increasing MSL’s velocity by 12.3 Miles per Hour (5.5 Meters per Second) and tweaking its course to aim at a preliminary re-entry point over Mars - correcting the intentional 25,000-mile (40,000 Kilometers) Miss Distance. The maneuver also moved up Curiosity’s Landing time by 14 hours.
After the Maneuver, MSL and all of its systems were in good condition. Mission Controllers are looking at March 26 for the next TCM which will only be a minor course correction.
At 23:00 GMT (6pm EST) on Wednesday, the complex Course Correction Sequence began. 8 Thrusters divided into two groups of four engines, made more than 200 firings to achieve the proper trajectory. The Maneuver started with a continuous 19-minute burn of one thruster in each of the two sets of four jets along the axis of rotation. To change the velocity perpendicular to that line, each set of thrusters was fired for 5-seconds when the rotation of the vehicle put the thrusters in the correct direction as MSL rotated at 2.04rpm. Over a period of about two hours, these short bursts were repeated for a total of about 40 minutes of burn time to achieve the desired change in velocity. Doppler Tracking revealed that the maneuver was completed successfully increasing MSL’s velocity by 12.3 Miles per Hour (5.5 Meters per Second) and tweaking its course to aim at a preliminary re-entry point over Mars - correcting the intentional 25,000-mile (40,000 Kilometers) Miss Distance. The maneuver also moved up Curiosity’s Landing time by 14 hours.
After the Maneuver, MSL and all of its systems were in good condition. Mission Controllers are looking at March 26 for the next TCM which will only be a minor course correction.
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Current Position
As of 17:45 GMT on Thursday, January 12, MSL was at distance of 14.922 Million Kilometers (9.272 Million Miles) from Earth travelling at a relative speed of 16,607 Kilometers per Hour (10,319 Miles per Hour). Of its 567-Million Kilometer trip (352 Million Miles), MSL has now completed 130.58 Million Kilometers (81.14M Miles). Relative to the Sun, MSL was travelling at a speed of 110,504kph (68,660mph). Radio Signals from Earth travel 50 seconds before reaching the Spacecraft. The Spacecraft was 130 Million Kilometers (82M Miles) or 7.3 Light-Minutes from Mars. Today marks Day 47 in MSL's Mission. The Mission is 162 Days away from entering its Mars Approach Phase. Landing is 207 Days away. |
Image: NASA JPL Solar System Simulator
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MSL to conduct complex Trajectory Correction
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January 7, 2012
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The Mars
Science Laboratory is approaching its first and largest Course Correction on
its Trip to the Red Planet. The Maneuver will take place on January 11, 2012
and involve multiple firings of 8 of the Spacecraft's Thrusters over a period of
175 Minutes. This choreographed sequence will begin at 23:00 UTC (6pm EST) and
change the vehicle’s velocity by 5.5 Meters per Second (12.3 Miles per Hour).
During the complex maneuver, the spacecraft’s Inertial Measurement Unit will
keep track of the Vehicle’s orientation and the acceleration during the burn. The
IMU was calibrated on December 21, 2011 for use as a backup for the onboard
celestial navigation system that experienced a restart early in the mission. On
November 29, 2011, a restart of the onboard computer system was triggered by
software used to support star-tracking capabilities. The exact circumstances of
this restart are not fully understood at this time.
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Photo: NASA / JPL / Caltech
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Mission Personnel on Earth
have been working with a duplicate computer to reproduce the result. Engineers were
able to obtain some data as the duplicate computers showed the same behaviour a
few times out of thousands of attempts. Currently, the spacecraft’s redundant
computers are being tested. While MSL operates on the A-String, Mission
Controllers work with the B-String to evaluate its performance. Work on the
erratic reset behavior will continue; the spacecraft could use one good string
only to get to Mars should the problem turn out to be more serious. It is not
expected that the problem will impact immediate MSL Operations.
The Maneuver planned for January 11 will fine-tune MSL’s path to Mars. Currently, MSL is on its initial trajectory that was achieved by the Centaur Upper Stage placing the vehicle on a course to miss Mars as Centaur has to fly by the Planet because it was not built to accommodate planetary protection guidelines. Centaur could carry germs from Earth to Mars because it wasn’t cleaned the way MSL was. The Maneuver will take MSL away from its current course and target its Re-Entry Point for a landing at Gale Crater. Five more Trajectory Correction Maneuvers are available to the Team to target an exact Entry Point for a pinpoint-landing in August 2012.
Currently, the Star Tracker Software issue is the only problem that is being evaluated by the team. Otherwise, the spacecraft is in perfect health. The Cruise Stage Solar Arrays are providing 780 Watts of power to the Spacecraft. Communications are stable at 2 Kilobits per Second for Up- and Downlink as well. MSL is rotating 2.04 times per minute which is well within the planned margin. Only the RAD Experiment is active at this time. Radiation Assessment is gathering data on the radiation environment that MSL passes through on its way to Mars – the same environment that future Astronauts will encounter on their way to the Red Planet.
After the Maneuver, a set of engineering checkouts will be performed by the team that will take about one week to complete. During the Checkout, systems needed for Entry and Landing will be tested to make sure all components are working properly. Also, communication subsystems that will be used when Curiosity has landed, will be validated.
As of January 7, 2012, 20:15 UTC, MSL was crusing 13 Million Kilometers (8.13 Million Miles) from Earth travelling at a relative velocity of 15,250 Kilometers per Hour (9,477mph). In total, MSL has traveled 117.53 Million Kilometers (73.03M Miles) of its 567-Million Kilometer journey to Mars. Relative to the Sun, MSL is moving at 117,769kph (73,178mph). One-way Singal-Travel Time from Earth is 44 seconds.
The Maneuver planned for January 11 will fine-tune MSL’s path to Mars. Currently, MSL is on its initial trajectory that was achieved by the Centaur Upper Stage placing the vehicle on a course to miss Mars as Centaur has to fly by the Planet because it was not built to accommodate planetary protection guidelines. Centaur could carry germs from Earth to Mars because it wasn’t cleaned the way MSL was. The Maneuver will take MSL away from its current course and target its Re-Entry Point for a landing at Gale Crater. Five more Trajectory Correction Maneuvers are available to the Team to target an exact Entry Point for a pinpoint-landing in August 2012.
Currently, the Star Tracker Software issue is the only problem that is being evaluated by the team. Otherwise, the spacecraft is in perfect health. The Cruise Stage Solar Arrays are providing 780 Watts of power to the Spacecraft. Communications are stable at 2 Kilobits per Second for Up- and Downlink as well. MSL is rotating 2.04 times per minute which is well within the planned margin. Only the RAD Experiment is active at this time. Radiation Assessment is gathering data on the radiation environment that MSL passes through on its way to Mars – the same environment that future Astronauts will encounter on their way to the Red Planet.
After the Maneuver, a set of engineering checkouts will be performed by the team that will take about one week to complete. During the Checkout, systems needed for Entry and Landing will be tested to make sure all components are working properly. Also, communication subsystems that will be used when Curiosity has landed, will be validated.
As of January 7, 2012, 20:15 UTC, MSL was crusing 13 Million Kilometers (8.13 Million Miles) from Earth travelling at a relative velocity of 15,250 Kilometers per Hour (9,477mph). In total, MSL has traveled 117.53 Million Kilometers (73.03M Miles) of its 567-Million Kilometer journey to Mars. Relative to the Sun, MSL is moving at 117,769kph (73,178mph). One-way Singal-Travel Time from Earth is 44 seconds.
MSL - Current Position
Photo: NASA JPL Solar System Simulator
MSL Science Data Acquisition starts ahead of Schedule
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December 15, 2011
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The MSL
Mission is progressing as expected as it is in ist lengthy Cruise Phase that
will take it to a point 45 days prior to landing when the Mars Approach Phase
will begin.
The Spacecrsft composed of the Curiosity Rover, the Cruise Stage and the Aeroshell along with the descent stage, is working as expected and is believed to be in excellent condition. Two weeks ahead of schedule, on December 6, the Radiation Assessment Instrument aboard the Rover was activated. It will stay active for the remainder of the mission. It gathers data on the Radiation Environment that MSL is passing through on its cruise to the Red Planet – the same environment that future Astronauts will have to travel through in order to get to Mars. The RAD instrument is gathering Data packages that are downlinked once every 24 hours. Radiation in space comes from various sources, one of them being our sun - but radiation that could impact future Mars Missions could be coming from much further away. Distant Supernovas are also sending radiation our way. Assessing the radiation that astronauts will be facing is a crucial step in the preparation and design process of future spacecraft that will fly humans to Mars. Radiation datasets that has been detected over the past week are indicating that even while still being relatively close to Earth, MSL is already encountering four times the Radiation Dose that it was experiencing while sitting at the launch pad in Florida. RAD will also measure the radiation environment on Mars once Curiosity lands. One notable thing about the Instrument is its position on the spacecraft. During the Cruise Phase, RAD is hidden inside the Aeroshell shielded by Rover components and the Cruise Stage. This enables it to record so called secondary particles – these are particles that result from collisions of primary radiation particles coming from space with spacecraft materials. Secondary Particles can be more dangerous to humans than primary particles, but often go undetected as previous missions were outfitted with Radiation Assessment Instruments directly exposed to space. More Information about RAD can be found on our MSL Instrument Page. |
Photo: NASA/JPL/Caltech/SwRI
The RAD Instrument
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System
Health Checks have also continued as the mission progressed into the Cruise Phase. The Spacecraft
is in good conditions and all system checks have returned nominal results.
Communications with Earth are being performed as expected. Signals already
travel nearly 20 seconds from Earth to MSL or vice versa.
As of December 15, 2011 (16:20 UTC), MSL was 5.840 Million Kilometers (3.629 Million Miles) from Earth traveling at 11,974 Kilometers per Hour (7,440 Miles per Hour). Of its 567-Kilometer Mission (352 Million Miles), it has now completed 53.9 Million Kilomters (33.5 Million Miles). MSL is cruising at 116,804kph (72,579mph) relative to the Sun.
As of December 15, 2011 (16:20 UTC), MSL was 5.840 Million Kilometers (3.629 Million Miles) from Earth traveling at 11,974 Kilometers per Hour (7,440 Miles per Hour). Of its 567-Kilometer Mission (352 Million Miles), it has now completed 53.9 Million Kilomters (33.5 Million Miles). MSL is cruising at 116,804kph (72,579mph) relative to the Sun.
MSL - Current Position
Credit: NASA JPL Solar System Simulator
First Course Correction Burn postponed
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December 2, 2011
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Since being launched on time last Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 10:02am EST, NASA’s Mars
Science Laboratory Spacecraft has already completed several health checks and a
Mission Phase Transition.
As part of nominal operations, the Mission transitioned from the Launch Phase which began 30 Minutes before Liftoff to the Cruise Phase that will have a duration of ~208 Days. The formal transition took place at a Mission Elapsed Time of 24 Hours. In the first 24 hours of the mission, MSL underwent quick Status Polls to get a status of all vehicle systems that were powered up at the time. Everything checked out well and vehicle health was determined to be pristine. Shortly after departing Earth, heaters on the Vehicle were reconfigured because equipment was being warmed sufficiently without heaters so that some were deactivated to avoid any thermal violations on the Thrusters of the Spacecraft. |
Photo: NASA JPL
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On Launch
Day, the Centaur Upper Stage of the Atlas V 541 Launch Vehicle put the
Spacecraft on a very precise trajectory. Further evaluations of MSL’s Path revealed
that no early TCM (Trajectory Correction Maneuver) was needed. That Egnine Burn
was planned for Day 15 of the MSL Mission. The first TCM is not expected until
late December, most likely early January. MSL and the Centaur Stage which is
traveling behind the Spacraft are on a trajectory to miss Mars by 38,000 miles
due to planetary protection policies. The Centaur Stage will not correct its
course and thus not impact the Red Planet. This is done so that no
contamination from Earth could be delivered to Mars. MSL will refine its course
with up to 6 TCMs for a pinpoint-landing on August 6, 2012.
Earlier this week, the MSL Vehicle experienced a computer restart related to star-identifying software in the attitude control system. As part of autonomous operations, the vehicle placed itself in a safe mode. Nominal Operations were restored by engineers who have been evaluating the sotuation and working to resume star-guided attitude control. Later on Tuesday, small thruster burns were completed to slow the vehicle’s rotation from 2.5rpm to 2.05rpm. The Maneuver was performed as expected.
The MSL Spacecraft is in very good condition and performing normally. Cruise Stage Power output is stable at 800 Watts and communications with the Vehicle are solid as well.
As of December 2 [5am EST], MSL was 1,261,000 miles from Earth traveling at a relative speed of 7,486 miles per hour. Radio Signals are already traveling 6.8 seconds from Earth to MSL. Relative to the Sun, the Spacecraft is cruising at 73,800mph. MSL has now completed ~11 Million Miles of its 352-Million-Mile Journey to link up with Mars and deliver the Curiosity Rover to its surface for at least two years of science operations.
Earlier this week, the MSL Vehicle experienced a computer restart related to star-identifying software in the attitude control system. As part of autonomous operations, the vehicle placed itself in a safe mode. Nominal Operations were restored by engineers who have been evaluating the sotuation and working to resume star-guided attitude control. Later on Tuesday, small thruster burns were completed to slow the vehicle’s rotation from 2.5rpm to 2.05rpm. The Maneuver was performed as expected.
The MSL Spacecraft is in very good condition and performing normally. Cruise Stage Power output is stable at 800 Watts and communications with the Vehicle are solid as well.
As of December 2 [5am EST], MSL was 1,261,000 miles from Earth traveling at a relative speed of 7,486 miles per hour. Radio Signals are already traveling 6.8 seconds from Earth to MSL. Relative to the Sun, the Spacecraft is cruising at 73,800mph. MSL has now completed ~11 Million Miles of its 352-Million-Mile Journey to link up with Mars and deliver the Curiosity Rover to its surface for at least two years of science operations.
Launch Day Updates
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November 26, 2011
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MSL successfully Launched and on its Way to Mars
Countdown into Tanking, Weather Update
Countdown
Operations have gotten underway at around 3am at the Launch Complex and the
Control Center as the Launch Team started operations to make the final Launch
Preparations to get ready for T-0 today at 10:02am EST.
The Atlas Vehicle was powered up and Testing of all critical components got underway as expected. C-Band and S-Band Communication Systems were checked and solid communication links were verified. The Flight Termination System was tested as well after a faulty battery in that system caused the 1-day Launch Delay earlier this week. The Battery was replaced and the System is in Flight Readiness. Navigation Systems were powered up and new Guidance Software was loaded into the onboard computers in preparation for Powered Flight. Engineers completed final Launch Complex Closeouts and Walkdowns of the Mobile Launch Platform before starting to evacuate Launch Complex 41 prior to Fueling of the Rocket. At 7:35am EST, the Launch Complex and Blast Danger Area were reported clear. Roadblocks were set up earlier in the countdown. Also, Range restrictions came in effect for a large area of the space coast due to Nuclear Safety Rules. Range has not reported any issues up to is point. During the first built-in hold of the countdown, the Launch Team was polled and a decision to press into tanking was made. Clocks started ticking from the 2-hour mark at 7:52am EST and Chilldown of the Liquid Oxygen Systems started. Actual LOX Tanking of the Centaur began at 8:09am EST and reached its Flight Level 27 Minutes later. Atlas Booster LOX Loading began at around 8:25am EST.
Up to this point, the countdown has been progressing by the book without any major problems. All technical systems are GO for Launch at this time.
Weather Forecasters are still predicting a 70% Chance of good weather conditions during the launch window. The primary concern for today’s Launch Operations are Cumulus Clouds. Models indicate that there will be a scattered to broken cloud deck at 5,000 feet and scattered clouds at 3,500 feet. Should a low cloud ceiling be formed, the Atlas V Rocket would not be allowed to launch due to Weather Rule Violations. Observed conditions have already cycled between RED and GREEN several times. RED phases have been short in duration raising hope that even if the Launch Window started with RED Observed Conditions, a Launch could still be possible later in the window should the clouds move out of the area. Winds are not a concern today as puper level winds have calmed down as weather models indicated. However, there is a small chance that upper level winds could cause some problems later in the 1-hour 43-minute launch window. These are the primary concerns that could prevent an on-time launch, however the long window gives the launch team time to adjust to initial weather conditions and wait for it to clear to some extent.
The Atlas Vehicle was powered up and Testing of all critical components got underway as expected. C-Band and S-Band Communication Systems were checked and solid communication links were verified. The Flight Termination System was tested as well after a faulty battery in that system caused the 1-day Launch Delay earlier this week. The Battery was replaced and the System is in Flight Readiness. Navigation Systems were powered up and new Guidance Software was loaded into the onboard computers in preparation for Powered Flight. Engineers completed final Launch Complex Closeouts and Walkdowns of the Mobile Launch Platform before starting to evacuate Launch Complex 41 prior to Fueling of the Rocket. At 7:35am EST, the Launch Complex and Blast Danger Area were reported clear. Roadblocks were set up earlier in the countdown. Also, Range restrictions came in effect for a large area of the space coast due to Nuclear Safety Rules. Range has not reported any issues up to is point. During the first built-in hold of the countdown, the Launch Team was polled and a decision to press into tanking was made. Clocks started ticking from the 2-hour mark at 7:52am EST and Chilldown of the Liquid Oxygen Systems started. Actual LOX Tanking of the Centaur began at 8:09am EST and reached its Flight Level 27 Minutes later. Atlas Booster LOX Loading began at around 8:25am EST.
Up to this point, the countdown has been progressing by the book without any major problems. All technical systems are GO for Launch at this time.
Weather Forecasters are still predicting a 70% Chance of good weather conditions during the launch window. The primary concern for today’s Launch Operations are Cumulus Clouds. Models indicate that there will be a scattered to broken cloud deck at 5,000 feet and scattered clouds at 3,500 feet. Should a low cloud ceiling be formed, the Atlas V Rocket would not be allowed to launch due to Weather Rule Violations. Observed conditions have already cycled between RED and GREEN several times. RED phases have been short in duration raising hope that even if the Launch Window started with RED Observed Conditions, a Launch could still be possible later in the window should the clouds move out of the area. Winds are not a concern today as puper level winds have calmed down as weather models indicated. However, there is a small chance that upper level winds could cause some problems later in the 1-hour 43-minute launch window. These are the primary concerns that could prevent an on-time launch, however the long window gives the launch team time to adjust to initial weather conditions and wait for it to clear to some extent.
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Atlas V & MSL Rolled to Launch Pad
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November 25, 2011
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Photo: NASA Kennedy
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The Atlas V 541 Rocket with the Mars Science Laboratory Spacecraft on top was rolled to the Launch Pad of Launch Complex 41 this morning at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, in Preparation for Launch on November 26.
Operations to set up all equipment for the Rollout and make final vehicle close-outs started in the early morning hours today. All tasks were performed as expected and the Roll started on time at around 8am EST. The large Atlas Rocket was moved by two trackmobiles along rails that extend from the Vertical assembly Facility to the Launch Pad. The trip took a little over half an hour and the Launch Vehicle reached its final Position at 8:40am EST. Umbilicals were connected and other connections were made to ensure the vehicle is hooked up to power, cooling and purge supplies. Also, the Propellant lines were connected in preparation for filling the Vehicle with crygenic hydrogen and oxygen during tomorrow’s countdown. The Undercarriages will be removed and Launch Pad Closeout tasks will begin in the evening. The early night hours will be quiet at the Launch Complex before countdown operations start at 3am EDT with actual T-Counters starting to tick at 7:02am EST. A very detailed countdown outline can be found on our Launch Info Page. Tomorrow’s weather forecast is still looking favorable as forecasters are predicting a 70% chance of good weather conditions. The only concerns are cumulus clouds and a low ceiling. Scattered Low-Level Cumulus clouds could prevent the Atlas V from lifting off on time. The Launch window is 1 hour and 43 minutes in duration which gives the launch team a chance to wait for better conditions should the weather be unfavorable at the start of the window. Currently, no problems have been reported from any side. The MSL Spacecraft is powered up and in a standby mode with some equipment like science instruments switched off. Launch Vehicle statuses are normal as well and teams are working through their procedures to get set up for the Countdown on time. |
Launch Readiness Review complete, MSL GO for Launch
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November 23, 2011
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Launch
preparations are continuing as planned and teams are still working toward an
on-time liftoff of Saturday, November 26, 2011 sending NASA’s Curiosity Mars
Rover on its way to the Red Planet.
The Launch Readiness review was held today by NASA and United Launch Alliance Managers to discuss final launch operations and statuses. Only a few very minor issues that were about to be closesd out were presented. One item of discussion was November 28 as additional backup launch day. After the recent delay by one day, teams requested one additional placeholder for the event of additional short duration launch delays due to technical problems or unfavorable launch weather. The Range team has sorted out all related issues and reserved November 28 as a backup date for the MSL Launch should a weekend launch not be possible. A decision to press into countdown operations was made as there are currently no major problems that are being tracked. The faulty battery that caused the 1-day Launch Delay was successfully replaced. Battery re-installation and testing was performed on Tuesday and revealed that the system is working fine with the new battery. The Mission Dress Rehearsal – full duration simulation of the Launcher’s Flight – was also completed. This test gives Launch Personnel the opportunity to get up to speed on communication ways and responses to issues in preparation for the actual flight. At the Launch Pad, final close-outs have been completed. The Atlas V Rocket is now in its final configuration in readiness for Rollout to the Launch Pad. Rollout is currently planned to begin on Friday at 8am EST. MSL is currently powered up and will stay in this configuration until launch. No anomalies with the spacecraft have been reported. Ground Support Equipment that is needed to cool the vehicle as heat is being released by the Radioisotpe Thermoelectric Generator is working normally and will provide cooling until liftoff. The team will be able to stand down tomorrow and spend Thanksgiving with their Families. |
Photo: NASA Kennedy
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MSL Launch Delay
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November 19, 2011
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The launch of NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory has been delayed to November 26, 2011 to give technicians time to replace a faulty battery on the Atlas V 541 Rocket that will carry the Spacecraft to space.
This problem was issued by United Launch Alliance after the conclusion of yesterday’s Flight Readiness Review that ended with a decision to press ahead for a launch on the 25th. The Problem with a Flight Termination System Battery on the first Stage of the vehicle was reviewed early today and a decision was made to delay the launch so that battery replacement and Flight Testing can be performed on a normal schedule. Battery removal has already been completed. The FTS (Flight Termination System) is required for any Launch of the Atlas Rocket. This battery-powered system is used to destroy the Rocket in the event of a failure that involves the Rocket flying off course and potentially threatning populated areas. On November 26, the 1-hour 43-minute launch window opens at 10:02am EDT (see the Window Chart for Launch Opportunities on subsequent Days). MSL’s general Launch Window will expire on December 18, 2011. |
Photo: NASA Kennedy
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Power Generator Installed, FRR Underway
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November 18, 2011
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Update: The FRR was completed successfully and the official launch date of November 25 has been set.
The final assembly step for the Mars Science Laboratory Mission has been completed on Thursday, November 17, at Cape Canaveral when Technicians completed the installation of the Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator.
This MMRTG will power the MSL Rover for the duration of its mission.
To install the 99-pound Generator, it was moved to the Launch Complex where it was hoisted up and inserted into the Payload Integration Room atop the Vertical Assembly Building. A door on the Atlas V Payload Fairing allowed technicians to access the MSL Spacecraft. Antoher door that was built into the Backshell of MSL was opened to reach Curiosity itself. The MMRTG was then installed in its flight position on the Rover’s aft end, completing the flight stack in preparation for launch next week. The installation process has been designed to be simple as the MMRTG holds 10.6 pounds of radioactive Plutonium. Earlier this week, the procedure was rehearsed to ensure all preparatory steps had been taken. More on the MMRTG that is used on this mission can be read here.
This MMRTG will power the MSL Rover for the duration of its mission.
To install the 99-pound Generator, it was moved to the Launch Complex where it was hoisted up and inserted into the Payload Integration Room atop the Vertical Assembly Building. A door on the Atlas V Payload Fairing allowed technicians to access the MSL Spacecraft. Antoher door that was built into the Backshell of MSL was opened to reach Curiosity itself. The MMRTG was then installed in its flight position on the Rover’s aft end, completing the flight stack in preparation for launch next week. The installation process has been designed to be simple as the MMRTG holds 10.6 pounds of radioactive Plutonium. Earlier this week, the procedure was rehearsed to ensure all preparatory steps had been taken. More on the MMRTG that is used on this mission can be read here.
Photo: NASA Kennedy
MMRTG Processing at the KSC
This morning, the Spacecraft underwent its final powerup. MSL is receiving its own power and will not be turned off again until the end of the mission, hopefully after at least two years on Mars.
Today, the Flight Readiness review for the MSL Mission is taking place. Managers of NASA and other Payload Contractors as well as United Launch Alliance Officials have gathered to review all of the spacecraft systems, the mission and safety measurements that will be taken because of the radioactive payload that is flying on this mission. Additional steps are being taken to make sure no contamination with Plutonium is possible even in the event of a launch failure. For that, special equipment is being set up at the Cape to measure radiation on launch day. However, there is no concern as the MMRTG is a state of the art Generator that meets the highest safety standards.
Launch Preparations will continue through the weekend. Final Atlas V and MSL Payload Fairing Closeouts are planned for Saturday. On Sunday, the launch team will gather to conduct a mission dress rehearsal which is a simulation of the full duration of the Laucnher’s Mission through Spacecraft Separation. These simulation are done to identify any last minute problems with the rocket and practice countdown and launch operations.
Today, the Flight Readiness review for the MSL Mission is taking place. Managers of NASA and other Payload Contractors as well as United Launch Alliance Officials have gathered to review all of the spacecraft systems, the mission and safety measurements that will be taken because of the radioactive payload that is flying on this mission. Additional steps are being taken to make sure no contamination with Plutonium is possible even in the event of a launch failure. For that, special equipment is being set up at the Cape to measure radiation on launch day. However, there is no concern as the MMRTG is a state of the art Generator that meets the highest safety standards.
Launch Preparations will continue through the weekend. Final Atlas V and MSL Payload Fairing Closeouts are planned for Saturday. On Sunday, the launch team will gather to conduct a mission dress rehearsal which is a simulation of the full duration of the Laucnher’s Mission through Spacecraft Separation. These simulation are done to identify any last minute problems with the rocket and practice countdown and launch operations.
MSL - Launch Pad Flow on Track
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November 14, 2011
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Launch
Preparations for the Launch of the Mars Science Laboratory. The Integrated
Systems Test and Baseline Test of the combined MSL and Atlas V Stack have been
successfully completed. All avionics and electrical systems are in good shape
for launch. The MSL Rover, descent stage, cruise stage and science instruments
were tested and validated.
At NASA HQ in Washington, the Mission Readiness Brieifng was successfully conducted and a decision was made to press ahead in preparation for launch operations.
The Launch date will be firmly set during the Launch Readiness Review on November 18, 2011. Open items have already been acknowledged and are currently being worked at the Launch Complex. Teams are still looking at the November 25 Launch Date.
At NASA HQ in Washington, the Mission Readiness Brieifng was successfully conducted and a decision was made to press ahead in preparation for launch operations.
The Launch date will be firmly set during the Launch Readiness Review on November 18, 2011. Open items have already been acknowledged and are currently being worked at the Launch Complex. Teams are still looking at the November 25 Launch Date.
MSL - Atlas V Integrated Testing going well
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November 9, 2011
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MSL and the Atlas V are now in the Integrated Phase of Launch Preparations.
On November 3, after the Rollout of the MSL Payload Composite was complete, the Spacecraft was soft docked to the Atlas V Rocket. Attachment of the Payload Fairing and Payload Adapter was performed later. Electrical and Data Connections were also made that day and set the stage for integrated systems tests and validations. The first set of Integrated Tests was performed on Saturday, November 5. One day earlier, the Spacecraft was powered up on top of its launch vehicle for the first time. Results were nominal and the full integrated systems test was also successful. With these tests completed, Curiosity is one step closer to launch.
No items have been noted that are of concern to the teams. The only issue that has been known since the Wet Dress Rehearsal of the Atlas V Rocket in October is the failure of one of three vehicle cameras that provide live TV from the Launcher. This failure will be accepted and the Atlas V will fly with only two cameras.
Teams are still working toward an on-time launch on November 25, 2011. A firm launch date will be set after the conclusion of the Flight Readiness Review that is planned for November 18.
On November 10, NASA will hold a press conference to discuss the MSL Mission. The Briefing will start at 1:15pm EST and feature Doug McCuistion, the director of NASA’s Mars Program, Ashwin Vasvada, the MSL deputy Program Scientist and Pete Theisinger, MSL Project Manager.
The MSL Launch Info Page is already available featuring the most detailed Atlas V Coutndown Timeline that is available on the web.
On November 3, after the Rollout of the MSL Payload Composite was complete, the Spacecraft was soft docked to the Atlas V Rocket. Attachment of the Payload Fairing and Payload Adapter was performed later. Electrical and Data Connections were also made that day and set the stage for integrated systems tests and validations. The first set of Integrated Tests was performed on Saturday, November 5. One day earlier, the Spacecraft was powered up on top of its launch vehicle for the first time. Results were nominal and the full integrated systems test was also successful. With these tests completed, Curiosity is one step closer to launch.
No items have been noted that are of concern to the teams. The only issue that has been known since the Wet Dress Rehearsal of the Atlas V Rocket in October is the failure of one of three vehicle cameras that provide live TV from the Launcher. This failure will be accepted and the Atlas V will fly with only two cameras.
Teams are still working toward an on-time launch on November 25, 2011. A firm launch date will be set after the conclusion of the Flight Readiness Review that is planned for November 18.
On November 10, NASA will hold a press conference to discuss the MSL Mission. The Briefing will start at 1:15pm EST and feature Doug McCuistion, the director of NASA’s Mars Program, Ashwin Vasvada, the MSL deputy Program Scientist and Pete Theisinger, MSL Project Manager.
The MSL Launch Info Page is already available featuring the most detailed Atlas V Coutndown Timeline that is available on the web.
Rollout complete, Integration underway
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November 3, 2011
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The MSL Spacecraft enclosed in its Payload Fairing was moved from the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center to Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in the early hours of November 3. At 2am EDT, the transporter started the trip and MSL arrived at its Launch Complex about 2.5 hours later. The Spacecraft had been placed atop the transporter yesterday in preparation for Rollout.
Once at the Pad, preparations started to hoist the Payload up to the integration facility on top of the Atlas V Rocket. The overhead crane was attached to the payload and it was then lifted up and successfully moved to the payload integration compartment of the Launch Vehicle Integration Facility. Attaching the Rocket to the Upper Stage of the Atlas V Rocket will be completed later. Also, all electrical and data connections will be made and verified before integrated vehicle testing can begin. Photo Gallery: Click Here |
Photo: NASA Kennedy
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Final Payload Operations complete, Rollout postponed
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November 2, 2011
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Photo: NASA Kennedy
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The MSL Spacecraft has been enclosed in its protective payload fairing in preparation for launch later this month. Both halves of the fairing were installed around the spacecraft that has been put in its launch configuration. No problems have been reported during Payload Fairing Installation which is a major milestone on the path to launch. Once the Fairing was in place, the traditional Mission Logo and NASA Logo were applied to the exterior of the Fairing. These Logos will be visible when the rocket blasts off and became a tradition many years ago.
To prepare for the Rollout of the composite, the Fairing with MSL inside was lifted atop a transporter that will move the upper portion of the Atlas V Rocket from the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility to Space Launch Complex 41 where it will be installed on the Atlas V Rocket that is already standing ready for launch. Rollout was set to occur today, but had to be postponed due to high winds at the launch site that would have caused problems when hoisting the fairing up for installation on top of the launch vehicle. Teams have decided to attempt a Rollout on November 3 as weather conditions are looking more favorable. This will not cause a launch delay. Several days in the Pad Processing Flow are set aside for contingencies and issues so that some activities can slip for one or more days. MSL is still on track for launch on November 25 Photo Gallery: Final Payload Operations |
Final Processing Steps are Underway; Atlas V is ready
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October 18, 2011
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In preparation for Rollout and Launch, the MSL Spacecraft has been fully integrated. The one of the final steps was to attach the ‘back shell powered descent vehicle’ consisting of the backshell, the descent stage with the sky crane system and the rover itself, to the heat shield that will protect the hardware during the descent through the Martian atmosphere. When combined, the backshell and the heat shield form the Aeroshell that is needed for MSL’s Entry. Cruise Stage Processing is still underway.
At Space Launch Complex 41 (Cape Canaveral Air Force Station), the Atlas V 541 Rocket that will launch the MSL Mission has completed a wet dress rehearsal to verify it is ready for launch. For that, the rocket was rolled from the Vertical Integration Facility to the Launch Pad on October 12. Also that day, the RP-1 Fuel, a highly refined type of kerosene, was loaded into the first stage of the launcher. Leak checks were completed and the system’s condition was validated. The RP-1 will remain inside the rocket until launch. On October 13, all systems were fully tested and a complete cryogenic fueling sequence was performed. Liquid Oxygen was filled into the first stage oxidizer tank and the second stage, the Centaur, was filled with LH2 and LOX. The test concluded successfully and detanking followed to put the vehicle in a safe configuration. The Atlas V was rolled back to its integration facility on October 14. Inside the PHSF – Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility – operations on the MSL vehicle are on schedule and the integration process is on track for an on-time launch. The Payload Fairing has nearly completed its processing phase after it arrived at the Cape. Later in October, the Fairing will be installed around the spacecraft in preparation for its Rollout to the launch complex. The Rollout of the Spacecraft is currently set to occur on November 2 followed by payload integration and combined systems checks. The Atlas V will be rolled to the launch pad on November 23 to set the stage for a launch on November 25. |
Photo: NASA JPL / Caltech
Photo: NASA JPL / Caltech
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Photo: NASA JPL / Caltech
