MRO to insert very soon

[bonzelite]

on a lighter note, i'm excited over this and i think everyone else is, too: <br /><br /><font color="yellow">Planetary News: Mars (2006)<br /> Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Approaches Red Planet<br />By A.J.S. Rayl <br />February 24, 2006<br /><br />Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) approaches Mars<br />Artist's depiction of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) ariving at Mars Created: 24 February 2006. Credit: NASA / JPL<br />The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is scheduled to arrive on time at the Red Planet in two weeks, NASA officials announced today at a press conference held at agency headquarters in Washington D.C.<br /><br />“The journey from Earth to Mars takes 300 million miles. We are about 15 million miles away, so we’re 95% there and we are right on the money now heading toward our encounter with Mars on March 10,” said Jim Graf, MRO project manager at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).</font><br /><br />full article here<br /><br />enjoy <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />

 

[yevaud]

Excellent.<br /><br />It now has to slowly aerobrake, which is very touchy. But if successful, we should begin to obtain some stunning and very useful images and data from Mars around next Fall. <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>

 

[bonzelite]

yes. imagine the kinds of images we will be seeing when it comes online.

 

[yevaud]

Stunning images. Let's hope all goes well in the next 6 months, and perhaps we can start to gain a glimpse of things only hinted at until now.<br /><br />Love this stuff. <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>

 

[jatslo]

WOW; that was fast. Freaking light speed!! It doesn't seem like very long ago that it launched.

 

[dragon04]

Let's hope that puppy gets circular. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"2012.. Year of the Dragon!! Get on the Dragon Wagon!".</em> </div>

 

[telfrow]

Bonz:<br /><br />There's a pinned MRO thread in Missions and Launches you can also check for mission updates. <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>

 

[telfrow]

The images should be stunning - one meter resolution. Can't wait. <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>

 

[jatslo]

Imagining should start relatively early; immediately; they don't wait for full circle to test instrumentation, or that is, if my memory serves me correctly. Quite a lot of work potential from elliptical orbits, right?

 

[jatslo]

one meter by one meter pixels, and so much more.

 

[yevaud]

JPL MRO information site <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>

 

[dragon04]

I'll consider a successful March 10 orbital insertion a belated birthday present. My birthday is Sunday, but who am I to split hairs with the Cosmos? <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"2012.. Year of the Dragon!! Get on the Dragon Wagon!".</em> </div>

 

[yevaud]

There is just something vaguely obscene about wishing someone a happy birthday, using the word "insertion."<br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <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>

 

[jatslo]

Cameras: <br /><br />HiRISE (High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) <br /> This visible camera can reveal small-scale objects in the debris blankets of mysterious gullies and details of geologic structure of canyons, craters, and layered deposits. <br /><br />CTX (Context Camera) <br /> This camera will provide wide area views to help provide a context for high-resolution analysis of key spots on Mars provided by HiRISE and CRISM. <br /><br />MARCI (Mars Color Imager) <br /> This weather camera will monitor clouds and dust storms. <br /><br />Spectrometer: <br /><br />CRISM (Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars) <br /> This instrument splits visible and near-infrared light of its images into hundreds of "colors" that identify minerals, especially those likely formed in the presence of water, in surface areas on Mars not much bigger than a football field. <br /><br />Radiometer: <br /><br />MCS (Mars Climate Sounder) <br /> This atmospheric profiler will detect vertical variations of temperature, dust, and water vapor concentrations in the Martian atmosphere. <br /><br />Radar: <br /><br />SHARAD (Shallow Radar) <br /> This sounding radar will probe beneath the Martian surface to see if water ice is present at depths greater than one meter. <br /><br />Engineering Instruments: <br />Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter will carry three instruments that will assist in spacecraft navigation and communications. <br /><br />Electra UHF Communications and Navigation Package <br /> Electra allows the spacecraft to act as a communications relay between the Earth and landed crafts on Mars that may not have sufficient radio power to communicate directly with Earth by themselves. <br /><br />Optical Navigation Camera <br /> This camera is being tested for improved navigation capability for future missions. If it performs well, similar cameras placed on orbiters of the future would be able to serve as high-precision interplanetary "eyes" to guide incoming spacecraft as they near Mars. <br /><br />Ka-

 

[yevaud]

Thank you for the detailed post.<br /><br />Myself, I'm particularly interested in the Atmospheric data MRO will gather.<br /><br />Martian weather is utterly fascinating to me. I was going to pursue it as a Graduate topic, but never quite got to it. *Sigh* That's life in the big city, I suppose... <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>

 

[jatslo]

Me, I like the Radar ...

 

[yevaud]

Yeah. It'll provide some fine and highly accurate data on surface terrain. Hopefully, it'll help unlock some of the less than understood aspects of Martian geography - weathering, annual dust storms, subsurface water, the works.<br /><br />Of course, all of the various sensors in the suite will act in concert. <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>

 

[jatslo]

Yep, I like the Spectrometer too

 

[yevaud]

The entire multispectral imaging suite: visual, IR, Thermal, Radar. Can't wait until JPL begins to release data. <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>

 

[jatslo]

Yeah, if we are lucky, maybe they will test ping something soon. Where is the data accumilation going to pile up for publication, so that we can archive it?

 

[yevaud]

Good question. JPL will have it initially, then it heads off to a variety of sites. Probably Harvard Smithsonian for one.<br /><br />I'll try to find out where it'll be archived, and get back to you on that. <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>

 

[CalliArcale]

I expect they'll put JPEGs of raw images up on the mission website and the Planetary Photojournal, although the latter normally only receives images that are of press quality (not raw data, in other words). The actual raw data will probably be available on CD-ROM eventually; they'll probably release it in chunks, and charge a nominal fee to cover CD duplication costs. <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>

 

[jatslo]

CalliArcali: "... <font color="pink">The actual raw data will probably be available on CD-ROM eventually; they'll probably release it in chunks, and charge a nominal fee to cover CD duplication costs</font> ..."<br /><br />Would Space.com administration be willing to purchase the raw data, so that we may have something to archive, and work with in the science forums? I would imagine that they would be required to purchase some kind of license, or pay a fee; however, that would be a great publicity stunt, in my opinion. Great marketing tactic, in short!

 

[centsworth_II]

Don't get too excited too soon. They aren't going to start collecting data until after the six month aerobrake phase. Maybe a few test images from the cameras upon arrival, that's all. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[jatslo]

centsworth_II: "... <font color="gold">Don't get too excited too soon. They aren't going to start collecting data until after the six month aerobrake phase. Maybe a few test images from the cameras upon arrival, that's all.</font> ..."<br /><br />There are empirical observations of phenomenon(s) based on past, present, and future prospects that are counting on this mission in more ways than I can count, the obvious would involve data that supports human missions, but there are others. Many, others; if you would care to share some prospects with us today, or some other day, I, for one, will greatly appreciate it. For example, will this equipment be able to resolve the source of "Methane (CH4)", or other evidence that supports past, present, or future life, whether that evidence leads to archeological finds from space, simple microbial evidence, and/or evidence that supports human missions?