Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Update Thread

[yevaud]

I hope the Aerobraking phase goes well. It can get a bit dicey. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[lbiderman]

That's true, but the MRO is specially designed for the aerobraking manouver. Anyway, all of us will be probably crossing our fingers on March 10!!! Go MRO!!

 

[kane007]

<b>NASA Announces Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Coverage</b> <i>March 3, 2006</i><br /><br />NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter begins the most critical minutes of its flight on March 10. NASA is providing mission briefings and commentary March 8 and 10.<br /><br />Live coverage of the arrival at Mars originates from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., on NASA TV and the Web. The JPL newsroom will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST, March 10. The main number for the newsroom is: (818) 354-5011.<br /><br />Live arrival and orbit insertion commentary airs on NASA TV and the Web on March 10 beginning at 3:30 p.m. EST. The orbiter's main engines begin firing shortly after 4:24 p.m. EST to slow it enough for Martian gravity to grab it into orbit. Commentary ends at approximately 5:45 p.m. EST.<br /><br />To cover news briefings and mission events at JPL, reporters must contact Media Relations at: (818) 354-5011 not later than 6 p.m. EST, March 7. Valid I.D. and press credentials must be shown on arrival. Non U.S. citizens must present passport and visa. News briefings from JPL will be carried on the Web and NASA TV (all times EST and subject to change):<br /><br />Wednesday, March 8:<br /><br />-- 1 p.m. EST, mission overview news briefing<br /><br />Friday, March 10:<br /><br />-- Noon EST, pre-arrival news briefing<br /><br />-- 7:30 p.m. EST, post-arrival news briefing<br /><br />Mission information, including a press kit, news releases, status reports, briefing schedule, videos and images, is available on the Web at:<br /><br />http://www.nasa.gov/mro<br /><br />

 

[paulanderson]

Test images to be taken week of March 20. Here's hoping for a safe orbital entry...<br /><br /><b>Powerful Orbiting Camera Will Send Its First View of Mars to UA Soon</b><br />http://uanews.org/cgi-bin/WebObjects/UANews.woa/8/wa/SRStoryDetails?ArticleID=12261<br /><br /><i>"HiRISE scientists will power the HiRISE camera the week of March 20. It will begin taking pictures 18 hours later, and it will take pictures during two orbits. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory mission specialists will decide exactly which orbits will be HiRISE imaging orbits after Mars orbit insertion on March 10.<br /><br />These will be the camera's only photos for the next six months because it will be turned off while the spacecraft "aerobrakes." This involves dipping repeatedly into the upper atmosphere to scrub off speed and drop into successively more circular orbits.<br /><br />The camera will take pictures of the middle latitudes of the southern hemisphere, a region where many geologically recent gullies have been seen, gullies possibly carved by water. Researchers won't know the exact area they'll photograph until the spacecraft is safely captured into orbit around Mars.<br /><br />The camera's first images will be taken when the MRO is flying between about 2,500 miles and 600 miles (4,000 km and 1,000 km) above the planet. After aerobraking, the camera will fly just outside the planet's atmosphere at only 190 miles (about 300 km) above the surface."</i>

 

[CalliArcale]

*quivers with excitement*<br /><br />Those six months will be long without pics from MRO, but all too fast for the mission team, who'll be sweating that the aerobraking goes without a hitch. This is very exciting!<br /><br />Two more days before MOI! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[dreamx]

Who knows - is it theoretically possible to snap the approaching MRO (during the MOI or just before/after it)directly using MGS MOC camera? The privious attempts shooting Mars Odyssey and Mars Express were very successfull. Of course too many points have to be met during this rare(if possible)one-in-a-million opportunity-the MGS-MRO distance,lighting conditions,readiness of the MGS operating team,etc. And even snapped the images would be directed to Earth not in a Real Time but minutes/hours later-so,the direct visual confirmation of the MOI burn success wouldn't required.<br />We should remember,MRO is a big spacecraft,much bigger than MO and Mars Express.So I hope after 10 March the opportunity to snap MRO directly via MOC would be real also.

 

[henryhallam]

Pretty unlikely I think. The space around Mars is very, very big. The previous opportunities for the orbiters to take pictures of each other only happened coincidentally when their orbits drifted together. To be close enough to take a photo there are lots of variables that have to fall within a narrow range: orbit plane, semi-major axis, eccentricity, longitude of ascending node and true anomaly. Note these values don't have to be the same for both orbits (otherwise they would be in the same orbit) but once you fix one parameter, the others must fit within a fairly narrow profile to bring the two bodies together. Effectively, you have to be in nearly the same position in three dimensions of space <i>and at the same time</i> which is critical - a few seconds out and the distance will increase by many tens or hundreds of km due to the very high velocities involved.<br /><br />Knowing the orbits of MGS, MO and Mars Express well in advance, the arrival of MRO could probably have been planned to come in view of one of the orbiters for a few seconds. But this would likely conflict with getting into the right plane for capture and aerobraking with the minimum propellant.

 

[CalliArcale]

Also, I would think that if they were going to plan a particular arrangement with respect to the other Mars orbiters, that they'd pick it so that it was nowhere near any of the others -- just in case something went horribly wrong. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[lbiderman]

Possibly, but with only three other orbiters around Mars, I think the chance for a colision is really, REALLY, slim.... I don't know if they actually worry about that. BTW, if something like that happens, a significant group of people will have to start searching other jobs....<br /><br />1 DAY TO MRO!! FOLLOW IT AT www.MARSSOCIETY.COM.AR!

 

[CalliArcale]

Yeah, I think you're right. I was just thinking that if they were going to target for a particular orbit (in relation to the other orbiters), they'd go for one that would have the least likelihood of an encounter in the future, not the most likelihood. Reduces the consequences of a failure. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[marsrecon]

Here's a page with a simulated view of the MRO approach:<br /><br />MRO simulated view

 

[kane007]

About 19 hours to go for final trajectory correction maneuver if needed (10.24am EST Friday).<br />About 26 hours (4.07pm EST Friday) until orbit insertion rocket firing begins.<br /><br />And the media is starting to get excited;<br />Spaceflight Now<br /><br />SPACEcom<br /><br />But the best sites remain...NASA JPL and NASA TV tommorrow for best updates.<br />

 

[kane007]

Fantastic link. Clean, simple and to the point. Downloaded and played the approach animation - way cool! <br /><br />Fingers crossed - I know, silly superstition, how are my crossed fingers going to have any impact on what happens - that everything goes as smoothly tomorrow.

 

[abq_farside]

<br />What are the reason that during the 6 month aerobraking process, MRO will not be able to send back pictures. I know the orbit will not be exactly right and will get increasing closer to the planet, but it seems like it should be able to do some work during that time. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em><font size="1" color="#000080">Don't let who you are keep you from becoming who you want to be!</font></em></p> </div>

 

[nacnud]

Perhaps the cameras are still covered to protect them during the aerobrakeing?

 

[summoner]

Almost 12:30 pst, I'll be watching NASA TV and will post any news as it happens. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:271px;background-color:#FFF;border:1pxsolid#999"><tr><td colspan="2"><div style="height:35px"><img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/htmlSticker1/language/www/US/MT/Three_Forks.gif" alt="" height="35" width="271" style="border:0px" /></div>

 

[summoner]

Confirm that propellant tank pressurization has begun. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:271px;background-color:#FFF;border:1pxsolid#999"><tr><td colspan="2"><div style="height:35px"><img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/htmlSticker1/language/www/US/MT/Three_Forks.gif" alt="" height="35" width="271" style="border:0px" /></div>

 

[aaron38]

What's the lightspeed delay to Mars right now?<br />They're talking about not needing some contingency plans since presurization is proceeding normally, but at this point isn't the MRO on it's own?<br /><br />By the time MRO reports a problem and a contingency command is sent, isn't it all over?

 

[summoner]

About 12 mins delay, so 24 minutes round trip. Yes, it is largely autonomous as you are correct there isn't much that could be done 24 mins after the fact. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:271px;background-color:#FFF;border:1pxsolid#999"><tr><td colspan="2"><div style="height:35px"><img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/htmlSticker1/language/www/US/MT/Three_Forks.gif" alt="" height="35" width="271" style="border:0px" /></div>

 

[summoner]

Switch to low gain antenna complete and they are receiving telemetry. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:271px;background-color:#FFF;border:1pxsolid#999"><tr><td colspan="2"><div style="height:35px"><img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/htmlSticker1/language/www/US/MT/Three_Forks.gif" alt="" height="35" width="271" style="border:0px" /></div>

 

[summoner]

Attitude correction complete and confirmed, now comes the nail biting. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:271px;background-color:#FFF;border:1pxsolid#999"><tr><td colspan="2"><div style="height:35px"><img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/htmlSticker1/language/www/US/MT/Three_Forks.gif" alt="" height="35" width="271" style="border:0px" /></div>

 

[teije]

MOI start in 2 minutes

 

[teije]

or rather... it hopefully started 10 minutes ago at mars.... :S

 

[summoner]

MOI has begun. 27 minutes total, the last 6 mins in the Mars shadow. Then about 20 more minutes until reaquisition of signal. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:271px;background-color:#FFF;border:1pxsolid#999"><tr><td colspan="2"><div style="height:35px"><img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/htmlSticker1/language/www/US/MT/Three_Forks.gif" alt="" height="35" width="271" style="border:0px" /></div>

 

[llivinglarge]

We wouldn't have these radio blackouts if NASA had a larger budget and could send radio receiver satellites at strategic LaGrange points throughout the Solar System.