Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Update Thread

[teije]

does it matter? Blackout or no blackout, the one-way-light-time is so long that the spacecraft has to operate autonomously anyway. The only difference is about 20 minutes of nail biting.

 

[teije]

MRO has gone behind Mars with 69% of the burn completed. Now it's waiting time....

 

[aaron38]

A question on the blackout period...<br /><br />There are 3 other orbiters at Mars right? Are any of them able to see the MRO while it's in the shadow?<br /><br />Couldn't they relay the low-gain signal? Or at least listen so that we'd know what happened if something did go horribly wrong?

 

[summoner]

They have comm. Congrats to this team. They will only have to confirm a full burn so that it doesn't fly by. <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>

 

[telfrow]

"Right on the money." <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <strong><font color="#3366ff">Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find and not to yeild.</font> - <font color="#3366ff"><em>Tennyson</em></font></strong> </div>

 

[abq_farside]

GOT IT! - On the money <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>

 

[summoner]

Orbit is confirmed. This is too cool. These guys are my heros. <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]

well done to the team! Give'm a cigar!

 

[Swampcat]

Almost missed the show. I was out in the garage working on a big rocket when I remembered and ran back to my computer to get on NASA-TV. Got it going just in time to hear the announcement of MRO being in orbit.<br /><br />Good going NASA!! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3" color="#ff9900"><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>------------------------------------------------------------------- </em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."</em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></font></p></font> </div>

 

[teije]

I understand, merely pointing out that the loss of signal is not something that brings any risk to the mission. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" />

 

[lbiderman]

Way to Go MRO!!! Now 6 months of aerobraking and the fun begins!!

 

[alokmohan]

Well done.We know mars better,which is no doubt our future abode.

 

[dragon04]

I was thrilled to see that the MOI burn completed successfully. Blackout had just occurred when I left work.<br /><br />Now that the worst is over, let's look for an uneventful transit to March 29th!<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"2012.. Year of the Dragon!! Get on the Dragon Wagon!".</em> </div>

 

[kumbarov]

What is the orbit of MRO in the moment?<br />Do we have the exact numbers? I couldn't find the data anywhere.

 

[SpaceKiwi]

Fantastic result with this mission thus far! There is quite a constellation of spacecraft building around the red planet it seems. Hopefully it augurs well for the remainder of the MRO mission. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em><font size="2" color="#ff0000">Who is this superhero?  Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!</font></em></p><p><em><font size="2">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></em></p><p><font size="5">Bring Back The Black!</font></p> </div>

 

[henryhallam]

JPL Horizons is worth a try (I haven't checked whether MRO is on there with up to date elements).<br /><br />Nice job JPL.

 

[kane007]

Firstly my congratulations to the MRO team. Busy last 2 days but did manage to keep a spare eye on the live updates to MOI.<br /><br />Next big event in MRO's mission timeline coming up.<br /><br />Less than 2 weeks (20 March) until the first images from HiRise will be downloaded to scientist/technicians and hopefully not long after that, distributed to us.<br />

 

[kane007]

Yes. They have to warm it up for the science mission part of the flight. But any good image is still worth a thousand words. <br /><br />I would actually like to see some high orbit images of Mars especially at aphelion. Some good global shots I think the public would love.

 

[kane007]

Science orbit will be 64.8°, apogee 264 km, and perigee 178 km.<br /><br />The ONC (Optical Navigation Camera) will photograph Mars and its moons, Phobos and Deimos, continually for 30 days to enable more accurate navigation towards the planet. Link.

 

[kane007]

An image from MRO's Optical Navigation Camera (ONC), which tracks Mars' moons Phobos and Deimos against the star background to determine its position in space, is shown here. The camera has performed as expected, researchers said.<br /><br />If you can't wait for the image to clear, trying clicking <br />HERE

 

[CalliArcale]

Oh, sweetness! Thanks for posting that. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <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>

 

[aaron38]

Has aerobraking started yet?<br />I can't find any progress reports on that.

 

[kane007]

Well the media is starting to gear up for the release of the first "test" images - Space.com.<br /><br />So only 2 days to go to some, hopefully, cool images.<br />

 

[kane007]

Well, I'm staying in the "glass is half full" camp.

 

[kane007]

And now from SpaceDaily...<br /><br /><i>University of Arizona scientists, who manage the HiRISE camera, said the powerful instrument will take four images of Mars between 11:41 p.m. and 11:50 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday. The camera also will take a second set of images during another orbit, between 11:15 a.m. and 11:22 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, March 25.</i>