How long before we need dedicated Martian com sats?

[lampblack]

Well... NASA <i>was</i> making plans for a Mars Telecommunications Orbiter -- until funds ran short. Plans originally called for it to be launched in 2009. It would have served as a high-speed data relay satellite, serving the various spacecraft in orbit around Mars.<br /><br />Here is a Wikipedia link.<br /><br />And here's a 2005 SDC article describing the project. And there was this very informative piece from 2004.<br /><br />The project was killed off in late '05. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#0000ff"><strong>Just tell the truth and let the chips fall...</strong></font> </div>

 

[3488]

I wonder if there is any chance of it being reinstated?<br /><br />Already it has been mentioned that if both MERs are still operational, after the landing<br />of Mars Pheonix Lander, this May, there could be issues regarding data relay.<br /><br />I suppose we have the MRO, MO 2001 & the ESA Mars Express orbiters.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[willpittenger]

I should note that my idea kept the GPS units seperate. I combined the relay sats with the weather units. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>