MARSIS deployment.

flynn · Apr 29, 2005

Mars Express radar to be deployed in May 29 April 2005 Following green light for the deployment of ESA’s Mars Express radar, given in February this year, the radar booms are now planned to be deployed in the first half of May. Once the deployment is successful, the Mars Express MARSIS radar will enable the first European spacecraft to orbit Mars to complement its study of the planet’s atmosphere and surface. MARSIS (Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding instrument) is the first antenna of its kind which was also designed to actually look below the surface of Mars at the different layers of material, most notably for water. The deployment of the three MARSIS radar booms is an operation which will take place in three phases, in a window spanning from 2 to 12 May 2005. These operations will be initiated and monitored from ESA’s European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany. Each boom will be deployed separately, with the two 20-metre ‘dipole’ booms to be unfurled first and the 7-metre ‘monopole’ boom to follow a few days later. Before each deployment, the spacecraft will be placed in a ‘robust’ attitude control mode, which will allow it to tumble freely while the boom extends before regaining standard pointing to the Sun and Earth. After each deployment, the control team will conduct a full assessment of the spacecraft status before a decision is taken to proceed with the next phase. The result of each deployment can be assessed only after a series of tests, each taking few days. After the deployment of the three booms, ESA engineers will start the analysis of the complete behaviour of the satellite to be able to confirm the overall success of the operation. The current schedule is subject to changes, because the timing of the complex series of operations cannot be all fixed beforehand. A status report will follow in due course. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - Chuck Palahniuk. </div>

flynn · May 7, 2005

Martian 'divining rod' deploys its first boom 12:56 06 May 2005 NewScientist.com news service Maggie McKee The first of three radar booms that will search for underground water on Mars has apparently deployed successfully aboard Europe's Mars Express spacecraft, despite fears that the boom would whip back and strike the craft. But the radar will not be functional until its twin deploys, an event currently scheduled for Sunday. On Wednesday, mission officials in Darmstadt, Germany, commanded the first of two 20-metre-long antennae on the MARSIS (Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding) experiment to pop out of its storage box. It had been folded there since before the mission's launch in June 2003. The antenna will form a "T" consisting of the two long booms and a third, 7-metre-long antenna, and was originally scheduled to be deployed in April 2004. But European Space Agency (ESA) officials postponed the date over concerns the antennae could endanger the mission by hitting or getting snagged on the spacecraft during deployment. Now mission members confirm the first deployment appears to have gone without a hitch, with initial data suggesting the boom popped out as planned. Team members contacted by New Scientist say they are pleased with the apparent success but remain cautious. More tests of the spacecraft's behaviour will continue on Friday to confirm the boom did indeed straighten out as required. The radar will not be able to function until the second 20-metre boom is deployed. Waterlogged rocks The instrument works by sending out pulses of radio waves from the two longer booms and analysing the time delay and strength of the waves that return. The pulses last tens of microseconds and will bounce back just as quickly. Most will rebound from the surface, but some of the longer wavelength waves may penetrate the porous rocky soil. These would bo <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - Chuck Palahniuk. </div>

claerwen · May 8, 2005

All the pretty pictures are great, but this is potentially the most important experiment on the spacecraft. I've been waiting for this. Now I'm keeping my fingers crossed it all works out OK. Thanks for the update.

spacester · May 8, 2005

My thoughts exactly, claerwen. Well said. Good luck, MARSIS team! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

flynn · May 8, 2005

The main ESA site hasn't got anything, Neither has the BBC. I can only find 1 story on the newswire posted in the last few hours. My french isn't great but I don't think it adds anything. http://www.astrocosmos.net/canvas.php?id_news=1144 <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - Chuck Palahniuk. </div>

marslauncher · May 9, 2005

The deployment of the second antenna boom of the Mars Express Sub-Surface Sounding Radar Altimeter (MARSIS) science experiment has been delayed pending investigation of an anomaly found during deployment of the first antenna boom. The anomaly was discovered on 7 May towards the end of the first deployment operations. Deployment of the first boom started on Wednesday 4 May. The problem with the boom was confirmed by flight control engineers working at ESA's European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany, on 7 May, after which further activity was stopped pending a full assessment of the situation. The decision to delay deployment of Boom 2 pending clarification of the situation and implications was made on 8 May. Mission controllers were able to determine that 12 of the 13 boom segments of Boom 1 were correctly locked into position. However, one of the final segments, possibly No. 10, had deployed but was not positively locked into position. It was determined that deployment of the second boom should be delayed in order to determine what implications the anomaly in the first boom may have on the conditions for deploying the second. This decision is in line with initial plans which had allowed for a delay should any anomalous events occur during the first boom deployment. Mission staff will now take the time necessary to investigate the boom situation. Foreseen outcomes include confirming that all segments of Boom 1 have been locked into place and determining how the deployment of Boom 1 may affect that of Boom 2. All efforts will be made to ensure the safety of the spacecraft overall and to minimise any effects on the operations of ongoing science activity on board Mars Express. The MARSIS experiment is to map the Martian sub-surface structure to a depth of a few kilometres. The instrument's 40-metre long antenna booms will send low frequency radio waves towards the planet, whic

toymaker · May 9, 2005

Hmmm-is it serious ?

flynn · May 9, 2005

I don't think it'll stop them depolying the others, just a delay. It might of even be deployed the sensor that detects deployment in that section maybe u/s. Perhaps the shock of the other booms whipping out will snap end of the first into place. Fingers crossed, nothing yet on a revised timetable. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - Chuck Palahniuk. </div>

thechemist · May 9, 2005

After a year of careful simulations so as not to cause any harm to the spacecraft by possible boom deployment vibrations .... now it is possible that we might have to deliberately shock the spacecraft with the 2nd boom deployment so the 1st one completes ?? Isn't it ironic <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> All will go well. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I feel better than James Brown. </div>

centsworth_II · May 9, 2005

Any shock could just as well fold the unlocked joint as lock it, although I don't know if there are springs involved that could prevent this. An alternative to the uncontrolled shock of an unfolding boom could be a controlled movement of the craft. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

thechemist · May 9, 2005

If it is boom1 segment 10 that is not locked in place, then segments 10-13 are possibly not properly unfolded. Does not this affect the orbital mechanics of the probe? Boom 1 is 20m in total length. Will it be possible to make radar measurements if this is not corrected ? I don't know, it looks serious enough to me ... But I remain optimistic. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I feel better than James Brown. </div>

centsworth_II · May 9, 2005

If they are specifying that segment 10 is not locked, I take it to mean that segments 11 through 13 are unfolded and locked. I wonder if they can know if the overall boom is straight with the affected joint just not locked, or if there is an appreciable bend in the boom at the unlocked joint. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

yurkin · May 9, 2005

You know it occurs to me that spring loaded lock in place deployment is a very failure prone system. The inertia of the main probe and of the Marsis antenna must be precisely known. Even then I don’t think you can know precisely the frictional force caused by each segment locking into place. This isn’t even taking into account the other things that can go wrong. I wonder why these questions weren’t asked in development.

thechemist · May 11, 2005

Mars Express radar on hold newsatnature.com(Published online: 9 May 2005; | doi:10.1038/news050509-1) "ESA has delayed unfurling a second boom until they work out exactly what has gone wrong. Until at least two of MARSIS's three booms are correctly in place, the experiment is useless." "They could open the second boom now, says Jansen. But if that too locks into position at an angle, it could fatally destabilize the whole craft. At the moment, the risk seems too great to try that, he adds. So if ESA engineers cannot find a way to unlock the jammed hinge, the experiment may have to be abandoned." Bad news ... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I feel better than James Brown. </div>

vogon13 · May 11, 2005

Galileo wasn't the only craft to have a hinky antenna deployment. Now the Mars Express craft. It would seem that prior to launch antenna (and boom) deployment would be engineered to the nines. Yet, it seems, most such hardware is still purchased as 'Everythings A Buck'. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!So many people, so few recipes !!Let's clean up this stinkhole !! </div>

flynn · May 11, 2005

SUCCESS First MARSIS boom successfully deployed 11 May 2005 Thanks to a manoeuvre performed on 10 May 2005 at 20:20 CET, ESA flight controllers have successfully completed the deployment of the first boom of the MARSIS radar on board ESA's Mars Express spacecraft. After the start of the deployment of the first 20-metre boom on 4 May, analysis by flight controllers at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre, Darmstadt, Germany, had shown that although 12 out the 13 boom segments were in place, one of the outermost segments, possibly No. 10, had deployed but was not locked into position. Deployment of the second (20 m) and third (7 m) booms was suspended pending a full analysis and assessment of the situation. As prolonged storage in the cold conditions of outer space could affect the fibreglass and Kevlar material of the boom, the mission team decided to ‘slew’ (or swing) the 680 kg spacecraft so that the Sun would heat the cold side of the boom. It was hoped that as the cold side expanded in the heat, it would force the unlocked segment into place. After an hour, Mars Express was pointed back to Earth, and contact re-established at 04:50 CET on 11 May. A detailed analysis of the data received showed that all segments had successfully locked and Boom 1 was fully deployed. The operations to deploy the remaining two booms could be resumed in a few weeks, after a thorough analysis and investigation of the Boom 1 deployment characteristics. The Mars Express Sub-Surface Sounding Radar Altimeter (MARSIS) experiment is to map the Martian sub-surface structure to a depth of a few kilometres. The instrument's 40-metre long antenna booms will send low frequency radio waves towards the planet, which will be reflected from any surface they encounter. MARSIS is one of the seven science experiments carried on board Mars Express, one of the <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - Chuck Palahniuk. </div>

toymaker · May 11, 2005

A Great Great Great News ! I have been following this mission for so long, would be very dissapointed if it failed now !

thechemist · May 11, 2005

Yes !!! [wondering] Why do I have to always post the bad news, only for flynn to come and happily post the good ones ? [/wondering] <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I feel better than James Brown. </div>

nacnud · May 11, 2005

WOO HOO <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <img src="/images/icons/cool.gif" /> <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" />

flynn · May 11, 2005

L<img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />L Sorry, right place, right time. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - Chuck Palahniuk. </div>

bobw · May 11, 2005

I was thinking they ought to shake the antenna to get it to snap into place LOL. Heat was a good idea for them, great news. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

arkady · May 11, 2005

<blockquote>In reply to:<hr />The operations to deploy the remaining two booms could be resumed in a few weeks, after a thorough analysis and investigation of the Boom 1 deployment characteristics. <hr /></blockquote> .. must .. have .. patience ..... aaargh <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "The choice is the Universe, or nothing ... " - H.G Wells </div>

centsworth_II · May 11, 2005

"...thinking they ought to shake the antenna..." I was thinking the same. What joyful news! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

yurkin · May 11, 2005

I never doubted them. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

flynn · May 22, 2005

Anyone caught anything on deployment of the second boom. I havn't seen or heard a thing other than there might be a two week gap but nothing official. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - Chuck Palahniuk. </div>

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