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NASA nervous as orbiter nears Mars - MRO begins orbit acquisition process FRiday, March 10 (LIVE Thr
AFP on Yahoo ^
| 3/8/06
| AFP
Posted on 03/08/2006 9:35:55 PM PST by NormsRevenge
click here to read article
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To: SunkenCiv
41
posted on
03/10/2006 12:29:44 PM PST
by
markman46
(engage brain before using keyboard!!!)
To: SunkenCiv
spaceflightnow.com
FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2006
2024 GMT (3:24 p.m. EST)
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter currently weighs 4,784 pounds. That is 22 pounds less than it did at launch because of the propellant consumed during trajectory correction maneuvers performed after leaving Earth. But the course was so accurate that navigators saved 60 pounds budgeted to adjust the flight path if needed. Those savings translate into fuel for the spacecraft to perform an extra seven months of science operations at the end of the mission, according to Howard Eisen, MRO flight systems manager.
The 27-minute orbit insertion burn will guzzle up 1,726 pounds of fuel, about two-thirds of the spacecraft's entire propellant supply.
A little over a third of the ship's mass is to be burnt.
42
posted on
03/10/2006 12:36:19 PM PST
by
RightWhale
(pas de lieu, Rhone que nous)
To: RightWhale
spaceflightnow.com
2052 GMT (3:52 p.m. EST)
The propulsion system has been pressurized as planned. The flight control team was just told they can stand down from their contingency plans.
Getting close
43
posted on
03/10/2006 12:54:40 PM PST
by
RightWhale
(pas de lieu, Rhone que nous)
To: RightWhale
pressurization complete, pyro fireing complete, just waiting for burn
44
posted on
03/10/2006 12:55:16 PM PST
by
markman46
(engage brain before using keyboard!!!)
To: NormsRevenge
My hunch is this one will make it.Hope so. Give them a meter, and they'll take a mile...
45
posted on
03/10/2006 12:57:13 PM PST
by
null and void
(I nominate Sept 11th: "National Moderate Muslim Day of Tacit Approval". - Mr. Rational, paraphrased)
To: null and void
This LIVE Thread has been removed from Breaking News, so no one will see it unless it happens to scroll by.
46
posted on
03/10/2006 1:04:12 PM PST
by
RightWhale
(pas de lieu, Rhone que nous)
To: RightWhale
spaceflightnow.com
2105 GMT (4:05 p.m. EST)
The handover has occurred. Now 19 minutes to the burn ignition.
2103 GMT (4:03 p.m. EST)
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is now switching its communications mode from the precise high-gain antenna to the low-gain antenna. The low-gain allows the spacecraft to receive and send signals without having to directly point the antenna at Earth. The telemetry data will be 160 bits per second.
For those few who are seeing this LIVE thread.
47
posted on
03/10/2006 1:05:41 PM PST
by
RightWhale
(pas de lieu, Rhone que nous)
To: RightWhale
The Mods move in mysterious ways...
48
posted on
03/10/2006 1:06:02 PM PST
by
null and void
(I nominate Sept 11th: "National Moderate Muslim Day of Tacit Approval". - Mr. Rational, paraphrased)
To: Howlin
49
posted on
03/10/2006 1:06:36 PM PST
by
RightWhale
(pas de lieu, Rhone que nous)
To: RightWhale
spaceflightnow.com
2107 GMT (4:07 p.m. EST)
MRO is 3,600 miles from Mars and traveling at 9,300 miles per hour.
speed has increased 50% already
50
posted on
03/10/2006 1:08:32 PM PST
by
RightWhale
(pas de lieu, Rhone que nous)
To: RightWhale
Prayers for success!
51
posted on
03/10/2006 1:08:43 PM PST
by
Southack
(Media Bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
To: RightWhale
spaceflightnow.com
2108 GMT (4:08 p.m. EST)
Standing by for confirmation that the spacecraft's turn to the burn attitude has started as planned.
They can't postpone this
52
posted on
03/10/2006 1:09:43 PM PST
by
RightWhale
(pas de lieu, Rhone que nous)
To: RightWhale
53
posted on
03/10/2006 1:09:59 PM PST
by
markman46
(engage brain before using keyboard!!!)
To: NormsRevenge
To achieve Mars orbit, the probe's engines will begin firing at 2125 GMT on Friday for 27 minutes That's about 15 minutes from now.
54
posted on
03/10/2006 1:10:44 PM PST
by
SGCOS
To: markman46
spaceflightnow.com
2110 GMT (4:10 p.m. EST)
The spacecraft has begun its reorientation turn to the position needed for the engine burn. MRO is doing all of these activities autonomously based on pre-loaded commands.
How far to Mars in light minutes?
55
posted on
03/10/2006 1:11:08 PM PST
by
RightWhale
(pas de lieu, Rhone que nous)
To: RightWhale
speed has increased 50% alreadyGravity sucks...
56
posted on
03/10/2006 1:12:00 PM PST
by
null and void
(I nominate Sept 11th: "National Moderate Muslim Day of Tacit Approval". - Mr. Rational, paraphrased)
To: SGCOS
spaceflightnow.com
2112 GMT (4:12 p.m. EST)
The turn should be complete at 4:19 p.m.
It's turning very slowly
57
posted on
03/10/2006 1:12:17 PM PST
by
RightWhale
(pas de lieu, Rhone que nous)
To: null and void
58
posted on
03/10/2006 1:12:36 PM PST
by
bonfire
To: NormsRevenge
Hope the Martian Spacecraft Defense System doesn't get it.
59
posted on
03/10/2006 1:13:27 PM PST
by
Little Ray
(I'm a reactionary, hirsute, gun-owning, knuckle dragging, Christian Neanderthal and proud of it!)
To: RightWhale
Watching the NASATV now..
Always love to catch these "live"...
60
posted on
03/10/2006 1:13:51 PM PST
by
Drammach
(In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king..)
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