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Mars of Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
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NASA's New Mars Orbiter Will
NASA's next mission to Mars
7/18/05
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -
11/12/98
| Date |
11/12/98 |
| Description |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility -2 (SAEF-2), Chris Voorhees (left) and Satish Krishnan (right), from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, remove the second Mars microprobe from a drum. Two microprobes will hitchhike on the Mars Polar Lander, scheduled to be launched Jan. 3, 1999, aboard a Delta II rocket. The solar-powered spacecraft is designed to touch down on the Martian surface near the northern-most boundary of the south pole in order to study the water cycle there. The lander also will help scientists learn more about climate change and current resources on Mars, studying such things as frost, dust, water vapor and condensates in the Martian atmosphere. The Mars microprobes, called Deep Space 2, are part of NASA's New Millennium Program. They will complement the climate-related scientific focus of the lander by demonstrating an advanced, rugged microlaser system for detecting subsurface water. Such data on polar subsurface water, in the form of ice, should help put limits on scientific projections for the global abundance of water on Mars. |
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -
11/12/98
| Date |
11/12/98 |
| Description |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility -2 (SAEF-2), a JPL worker checks the Mars microprobe. Two microprobes will hitchhike on the Mars Polar Lander, scheduled to be launched Jan. 3, 1999, aboard a Delta II rocket. The solar-powered spacecraft is designed to touch down on the Martian surface near the northern-most boundary of the south pole in order to study the water cycle there. The lander also will help scientists learn more about climate change and current resources on Mars, studying such things as frost, dust, water vapor and condensates in the Martian atmosphere. The Mars microprobes, called Deep Space 2, are part of NASA's New Millennium Program. They will complement the climate-related scientific focus of the lander by demonstrating an advanced, rugged microlaser system for detecting subsurface water. Such data on polar subsurface water, in the form of ice, should help put limits on scientific projections for the global abundance of water on Mars. |
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -
11/12/98
| Date |
11/12/98 |
| Description |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility -2 (SAEF-2), two JPL workers measure a Mars microprobe. Two microprobes will hitchhike on the Mars Polar Lander, scheduled to be launched Jan. 3, 1999, aboard a Delta II rocket. The solar-powered spacecraft is designed to touch down on the Martian surface near the northern-most boundary of the south pole in order to study the water cycle there. The lander also will help scientists learn more about climate change and current resources on Mars, studying such things as frost, dust, water vapor and condensates in the Martian atmosphere. The Mars microprobes, called Deep Space 2, are part of NASA's New Millennium Program. They will complement the climate-related scientific focus of the lander by demonstrating an advanced, rugged microlaser system for detecting subsurface water. Such data on polar subsurface water, in the form of ice, should help put limits on scientific projections for the global abundance of water on Mars. |
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -
11/12/98
| Date |
11/12/98 |
| Description |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility -2 (SAEF-2), JPL workers mount a Mars microprobe onto the Mars Polar Lander. Two microprobes will hitchhike on the lander, scheduled to be launched Jan. 3, 1999, aboard a Delta II rocket. The solar-powered spacecraft is designed to touch down on the Martian surface near the northern- most boundary of the south pole in order to study the water cycle there. The lander also will help scientists learn more about climate change and current resources on Mars, studying such things as frost, dust, water vapor and condensates in the Martian atmosphere. The Mars microprobes, called Deep Space 2, are part of NASA's New Millennium Program. They will complement the climate-related scientific focus of the lander by demonstrating an advanced, rugged microlaser system for detecting subsurface water. Such data on polar subsurface water, in the form of ice, should help put limits on scientific projections for the global abundance of water on Mars. |
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -
11/12/98
| Date |
11/12/98 |
| Description |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility -2 (SAEF-2), a JPL worker carries a Mars microprobe to the Mars Polar Lander at left. Two microprobes will hitchhike on the lander, scheduled to be launched Jan. 3, 1999, aboard a Delta II rocket. The solar-powered spacecraft is designed to touch down on the Martian surface near the northern- most boundary of the south pole in order to study the water cycle there. The lander also will help scientists learn more about climate change and current resources on Mars, studying such things as frost, dust, water vapor and condensates in the Martian atmosphere. The Mars microprobes, called Deep Space 2, are part of NASA's New Millennium Program. They will complement the climate-related scientific focus of the lander by demonstrating an advanced, rugged microlaser system for detecting subsurface water. Such data on polar subsurface water, in the form of ice, should help put limits on scientific projections for the global abundance of water on Mars. |
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -
11/12/98
| Date |
11/12/98 |
| Description |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility -2 (SAEF-2), JPL workers prepare to mount a Mars microprobe onto the Mars Polar Lander. Two microprobes will hitchhike on the lander, scheduled to be launched Jan. 3, 1999, aboard a Delta II rocket. The solar-powered spacecraft is designed to touch down on the Martian surface near the northern- most boundary of the south pole in order to study the water cycle there. The lander also will help scientists learn more about climate change and current resources on Mars, studying such things as frost, dust, water vapor and condensates in the Martian atmosphere. The Mars microprobes, called Deep Space 2, are part of NASA's New Millennium Program. They will complement the climate-related scientific focus of the lander by demonstrating an advanced, rugged microlaser system for detecting subsurface water. Such data on polar subsurface water, in the form of ice, should help put limits on scientific projections for the global abundance of water on Mars. |
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NASA TV's This Week @NASA, M
NASA Administrator Charles B
05/14/10
| Description |
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden joined with other NASA volunteers in helping these fifth graders become rocket scientists for day. * NASA assets continue to help scientists track two events causing worldwide environmental and economic concern. * Jet Propulsion Laboratory engineers used a helicopter to run a series of tests of the Mars Science Laboratory's landing system. * Thanks to a program at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville-area students are helping scientific and community leaders make better-informed decisions about Lyme disease and how and where this chronic illness is likely to strike the local public.* A new book highlighting some of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope is now available in stores and online. * Thirty-seven years ago, America's first space station, Skylab, was launched into Earth orbit from the Kennedy Space Center atop a Saturn V rocket. A ''dry,'' or empty, third stage of the rocket was completely outfitted as a workshop and laboratory. |
| Date |
05/14/10 |
|
Pathfinder Launch
| title |
Pathfinder Launch |
| description |
A Delta rocket carrying Mars Pathfinder and the Sojourner Rover lifts off from Kennedy Space Center on Dec. 4, 1996. *Image Credit*: NASA |
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Columbia Memorial
| title |
Columbia Memorial |
| date |
01.06.2004 |
| description |
The landing site of the Mars Spirit rover in honor of the astronauts who died in the tragic accident of the Space Shuttle Columbia in February. The area in the vast flatland of the Gusev Crater where Spirit landed this weekend will be called the Columbia Memorial Station. Since its historic landing, Spirit has been sending extraordinary images of its new surroundings on the red planet over the past few days. Among them, an image of a memorial plaque placed on the spacecraft to Columbia's astronauts and the STS-107 mission. The plaque is mounted on the back of Spirit's high-gain antenna, a disc-shaped tool used for communicating directly with Earth. The plaque is aluminum and approximately six inches in diameter. The memorial plaque was attached March 28, 2003, at the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Chris Voorhees and Peter Illsley, Mars Exploration Rover engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., designed the plaque. *Image Credit*: NASA |
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Ready for Liftoff
| title |
Ready for Liftoff |
| date |
06.08.2003 |
| description |
The Delta II rocket carrying the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit is prepared for launch at Kennedy Space Center in Jun3 2003. NASA's twin Mars Exploration Rovers are designed to study the history of water on Mars. These robotic geologists are equipped with a robotic arm, a drilling tool, three spectrometers, and four pairs of cameras that allow them to have a human-like, 3D view of the terrain. Each rover could travel as far as 100 meters in one day to act as Mars scientists' eyes and hands, exploring an environment where humans are not yet able to go. *Image Credit*: NASA |
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Mars Global Surveyor Spacecr
| Title |
Mars Global Surveyor Spacecraft |
| Full Description |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) workers in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF) prepare the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft for transfer to the launch pad by placing it in a protective canister. The Surveyor spacecraft (upper) is already mated to its solid propellant upper stage booster (lower), which is actually the third stage of the Delta II expendable launch vehicle that will propel the spacecraft on its interplanetary journey to the Red Planet. Once at Launch Pad 17A on Cape Canaveral Air Station, the spacecraft and booster assembly will be stacked atop the Delta vehicle. The Surveyor is slated for liftoff on Nov. 6, 1996 at the beginning of a 20 day launch period. |
| Date |
10/21/1996 |
| NASA Center |
Kennedy Space Center |
|
Fueled for Flight
| title |
Fueled for Flight |
| Description |
Looking like something out of a science fiction movie, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter team loaded 1,196 kilograms (2,637 pounds) of fuel onto the vehicle in one of the final steps before launch. Engineers and technicians in SCAPE suits (Self-Contained Atmospheric Protective Ensemble) loaded 1,196 kilograms (2,637 pounds) of high-purity hydrazine, bringing the spacecraft up to its flight mass of 2,180 kilograms (4,806 pounds). For safety reasons, photographers were not allowed in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center during fueling. The pictured technicians, in similar fueling gear, were suiting up to fuel the Deep Impact spacecraft in December 2004. The orbiter is currently undergoing two final days of electrical testing. On Thursday, July 21, the final inspection will take place and the spacecraft will be mated to the launch vehicle adapter on Friday. Credit: NASA |
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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
| title |
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is Off to Mars! |
| Description |
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter lifted off this morning from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. Hundreds of onlookers including the science and engineering teams' families cheered from a safe distance at Kennedy Space Center. The launch is the culmination of over five years of planning, assembling and testing. The orbiter now faces a challenging seven-month journey to Mars. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission marks the next generation of Mars exploration. The spacecraft's powerful instruments will provide unprecedented data from the red planet, tracing the history of water on the planet with spectrometers and high-resolution images and surveying for future landing sites. Credit: NASA |
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Jim Graf and Howard Eisen
| title |
Jim Graf and Howard Eisen |
| Description |
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter project manager Jim Graf (left) and flight system manager Howard Eisen (right) field questions from reporters at a joyous post-launch press conference at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: NASA/JPL |
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Practice, Practice, Practice
| title |
Practice, Practice, Practice: 'Wet Dress Rehearsal' |
| Description |
The launch services team at Kennedy Space Center conducted an all-important "wet dress rehearsal" for the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission in mid-July, 2005. During the rehearsal, the Atlas V rocket was fired. Pre-liftoff operations were conducted and the rocket's engine was fueled. The launch of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is scheduled for Aug. 10, 2005. Launch of the spacecraft aboard an Atlas V rocket will be from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Credit: NASA |
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A Pod of Dolphins
| title |
A Pod of Dolphins |
| Description |
A pod of dolphins plays in the Banana River in the early morning hours of August 11, 2005. The river separates the Kennedy Space Center from the launch pads at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in central Florida. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter lifted off from Launch Complex 41 on August 12, 2005. Credit: NASA/JPL |
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Flight Engineering Team Memb
| title |
Flight Engineering Team Members Enjoy the Launch |
| Description |
For over five years, Flight Engineering Team members have dedicated tireless hours to creating the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. On August 12, 2005, Kyle Martin, Peter Xaypraseuth, and David Skulsky take five minutes to experience the thrill of watching their spacecraft launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida via TV screens in the Mission Support Area at JPL in California. Credit: NASA/JPL |
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Pre-launch Press Conference
| title |
Pre-launch Press Conference |
| Description |
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter project scientist Rich Zurek and HiRISE principal investigator Alfred McEwen field questions from reporters after a pre-launch press conference at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: NASA/JPL |
|
14) THEMIS Infrared test (co
| title |
14) THEMIS Infrared test (copyright also: SBRS): |
| Description |
These images were taken by the THEMIS instrument out the back door of the fabrication facility at Hughes Santa Barbara Remote Sensing just before delivery to Kennedy Space Center. The top image shows the scene in visible light, as your eye would see it. The center image shows a THEMIS infrared image. Note the bright appearance of the warm rooftop n the left foreground, and the exposures of bare rock on the mountains in the distance, 10 miles away. The people in the last image are blurred because the focus for the instrument is set at infinity. |
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4) Thermal Vac Test (copyrig
| title |
4) Thermal Vac Test (copyright also: LMA): |
| Description |
Traveling through the vacuum of space for months at a time can take a toll on a spacecraft. The 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft must go through a series of tests at Lockheed Martin Astronautics in Denver before being flown to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch. Thermal vacuum tests simulate space conditions to ensure that the spacecraft can withstand the intensely cold temperatures and harsh radiation conditions of space. |
|
Bringing the Blast: Upper St
| title |
Bringing the Blast: Upper Stage Rocket Arrives at Kennedy Space Center |
| Description |
A second stage Centaur engine is delivered from the mouth of a Russian cargo plane on June 6, 2005 at Kennedy Space Center. This powerful engine will precisely direct the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to the red planet. The engine will be joined with the stage one Atlas V booster in the coming weeks. The mission is on schedule for a launch window that begins Aug. 10. Launch will be from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Credit: NASA |
|
Fairing Preparing for Farewe
| title |
Fairing Preparing for Farewell |
| Description |
This image features the protective fairing that will encapsulate the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter atop an Atlas V rocket. The lively logo celebrates the intense science mission ahead of the orbiter. The fairing (nose cone) is 4 meters (13 feet) in diameter and weighs about the same as the spacecraft. It is pictured here in a cleanroom at Kennedy Space Center, being prepared for launch on August 10. The fairing protects the spacecraft from the weather on the ground as well as from the atmosphere during flight. When the launch vehicle is on the launch pad, the spacecraft is supplied with air conditioning in order to control temperature and to protect it from dust and dirt. Shortly after Centaur engine ignition, the fairing is no longer needed, so it is separated into its two halves by explosive bolts and jettisoned. This operation is automatically controlled by timers in the Centaur. The two fairing halves swing away to either side of the spacecraft and fall back to Earth, landing in the ocean. Credit: NASA |
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Preparations at Kennedy Spac
| title |
Preparations at Kennedy Space Center |
| Description |
In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, workers from Lockheed Martin prepare the high-gain antenna for installation on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), in the background. Credit: NASA/KSC |
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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
| title |
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Launch Postponed |
| Description |
Tomorrow morning's launch of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has been postponed by at least one day. At present, liftoff is scheduled for no earlier than 7:50 a.m. on August 11. The launch was postponed due to a failure of a Redundant Rate Gyro Unit (RRGU) at the manufacturer. This unit is similar to two RRGUs that are part of the flight control system on the Altas V launch vehicle at Launch Complex 41 at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The engineering team is evaluating whether the failure that occurred in the testing at the manufacturer has any effect on other RRGUs in the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's Atlas V. |
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Mars Science Laboratory Pres
nasa, nasaheadquartersflickr
John Grotzinger, Mars Scienc
5964839898_f01daa9273_b
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2011-07-22 |
| creator |
NASA |
| identifier |
5964839898_f01daa9273_b |
|
Mars Science Laboratory Pres
nasa, nasaheadquartersflickr
John Grotzinger, Mars Scienc
5964840224_cc18f72740_b
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2011-07-22 |
| creator |
NASA |
| identifier |
5964840224_cc18f72740_b |
|
Chip with 35,000 Signatures
PIA04851
| Title |
Chip with 35,000 Signatures |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
April 15, 2003Prelaunch at Kennedy Space Center This closeup shows the size of the computer chip that holds about 35,000 laser-engraved signatures of visitors to the Mars Exploration Rovers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It will be placed on the second rover to be launched to Mars, the first rover already has one. The signatures include those of senators, artists, and John Glenn. The identical Mars rovers are scheduled to launch June 5 and June 25 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. |
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One Year Before Mission Succ
PIA05840
| Title |
One Year Before Mission Success |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This scene from NASA Kennedy Space Center in April 2003 shows work during final processing of the spacecraft then known as Mars Exploration Rover B and later named Opportunity. At this point, the rover was fully assembled for flight and being prepared for final integration with its lander. |
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Heat Shield Preparation
PIA04853
| Title |
Heat Shield Preparation |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
May 15, 2003Prelaunch at Kennedy Space Center Workers in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility prepare the heat shield that will be attached to the backshell, surrounding Mars Exploration Rover 1 (MER-1). NASA's twin Mars Exploration Rovers are designed to study the history of water on Mars. These robotic geologists are equipped with a robotic arm, a drilling tool, three spectrometers, and four pairs of cameras that allow them to have a human-like, 3D view of the terrain. Each rover could travel as far as 100 meters in one day to act as Mars scientists' eyes and hands, exploring an environment where humans can't yet go. MER-1 is scheduled to launch June 25 as MER-B aboard a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. |
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Rover 2
PIA04849
| Title |
Rover 2 |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
April 15, 2003Prelaunch at Kennedy Space Center In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, the lander petals of the Mars Exploration Rover 2 (MER-2) have been reopened and its solar panels deployed to allow technicians access to the spacecraft to remove one of its circuit boards. A concern arose during prelaunch testing regarding how the spacecraft interprets signals sent from its main computer to peripherals in the cruise stage, lander and small deep space transponder. The MER Mission consists of two identical rovers set to launch in June 2003. The problem will be fixed on both rovers. |
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Air Bag Installation
PIA04852
| Title |
Air Bag Installation |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
May 10, 2003Prelaunch at Kennedy Space Center On Mars Exploration Rover 1 (MER-1) , air bags are installed on the lander. The airbags will inflate to cushion the landing of the spacecraft on the surface of Mars. When it stops bouncing and rolling, the airbags will deflate and retract, the petals will open to bring the lander to an upright position, and the rover will be exposed. NASA's twin Mars Exploration Rovers are designed to study the history of water on Mars. These robotic geologists are equipped with a robotic arm, a drilling tool, three spectrometers, and four pairs of cameras that allow them to have a human-like, 3D view of the terrain. Each rover could travel as far as 100 meters in one day to act as Mars scientists' eyes and hands, exploring an environment where humans can't yet go. MER-1 is scheduled to launch June 25 as MER-B aboard a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. |
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Lander Petals of Rover 2
PIA04848
| Title |
Lander Petals of Rover 2 |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
April 15, 2003Prelaunch at Kennedy Space Center In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, technicians reopen the lander petals of the Mars Exploration Rover 2 (MER-2) to allow access to one of the spacecraft's circuit boards. A concern arose during prelaunch testing regarding how the spacecraft interprets signals sent from its main computer to peripherals in the cruise stage, lander and small deep space transponder. The MER Mission consists of two identical rovers set to launch in June 2003. The problem will be fixed on both rovers. |
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Mars Exploration Rover 2
PIA04835
| Title |
Mars Exploration Rover 2 |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
February 10, 2003 Engineers for NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Mission are completing assembly and testing for the twin robotic geologists at JPL. This week the twin rovers are sharing floor space in JPL's Spacecraft Assembly Facility for the last time before they are shipped to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In the image above, engineers are installing the rover's solar panels. The rovers will be launched separately in May and June. |
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Preflight Processing
PIA04854
| Title |
Preflight Processing |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
May 29, 2003Prelaunch at Kennedy Space Center In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, workers prepare to lift the Mars Exploration Rover-1 (MER-B) onto a spin table during preflight processing of the spacecraft. The rover is scheduled to launch aboard a Delta II rocket on June 25. NASA's twin Mars Exploration Rovers are designed to study the history of water on Mars. These robotic geologists are equipped with a robotic arm, a drilling tool, three spectrometers, and four pairs of cameras that allow them to have a human-like, 3D view of the terrain. Each rover could travel as far as 100 meters in one day to act as Mars scientists' eyes and hands, exploring an environment where humans are not yet able to go. The launch of MER-2 (MER-A) is tentatively set for June 8. |
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Circuit Boards on Rover 2
PIA04850
| Title |
Circuit Boards on Rover 2 |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
April 15, 2003Prelaunch at Kennedy Space Center In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, technicians remove one of the circuit boards on the Mars Exploration Rover 2 (MER-2). To gain access to the spacecraft, its lander petals were reopened and its solar panels deployed. A concern arose during prelaunch testing regarding how the spacecraft interprets signals sent from its main computer to peripherals in the cruise stage, lander and small deep space transponder. The MER Mission consists of two identical rovers set to launch in June 2003. The problem will be fixed on both rovers. |
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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
PIA04143
| Title |
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Lifts Off |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
At 7:43 a.m. EDT an Atlas V launch vehicle, 19 stories tall, with a two-ton Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) on top, lifts off the pad on Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. All systems performed nominally for NASA's first launch of an Atlas V on an interplanetary mission. MRO established radio contact with controllers 61 minutes after launch and within four minutes of separation from the upper stage. Initial contact came through an antenna at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Uchinoura Space Center in southern Japan. Mars is 72 million miles from Earth today, but the spacecraft will travel more than four times that distance on its outbound-arc trajectory to intercept the red planet on March 10, 2006. The orbiter carries six scientific instruments for examining the surface, atmosphere and subsurface of Mars in unprecedented detail from low orbit. NASA expects to get several times more data about Mars from MRO than from all previous Martian missions combined. Researchers will use the instruments to learn more about the history and distribution of Mars' water. That information will improve understanding of planetary climate change and will help guide the quest to answer whether Mars ever supported life. The orbiter will also evaluate potential landing sites for future missions. |
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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
PIA04142
| Title |
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Roars Away |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
With the Atlantic Ocean as a backdrop, an Atlas V launch vehicle, 19 stories tall, with a two-ton Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) on top, roars away from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 7:43 a.m. EDT. All systems performed nominally for NASA's first launch of an Atlas V on an interplanetary mission. MRO established radio contact with controllers 61 minutes after launch and within four minutes of separation from the upper stage. Initial contact came through an antenna at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Uchinoura Space Center in southern Japan. Mars is 72 million miles from Earth today, but the spacecraft will travel more than four times that distance on its outbound-arc trajectory to intercept the red planet on March 10, 2006. The orbiter carries six scientific instruments for examining the surface, atmosphere and subsurface of Mars in unprecedented detail from low orbit. NASA expects to get several times more data about Mars from MRO than from all previous Martian missions combined. Researchers will use the instruments to learn more about the history and distribution of Mars' water. That information will improve understanding of planetary climate change and will help guide the quest to answer whether Mars ever supported life. The orbiter will also evaluate potential landing sites for future missions. |
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Mars Exploration Rover 1
PIA04834
| Title |
Mars Exploration Rover 1 |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
February 10, 2003 Engineers for NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Mission are completing assembly and testing for the twin robotic geologists at JPL. This week the twin rovers are sharing floor space in JPL's Spacecraft Assembly Facility for the last time before they are shipped to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This image shows Mars Exploration Rover 1, fully assembled. The rovers will be launched separately in May and June. |
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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
PIA04144
| Title |
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Multipurpose Mission Successfully Launched |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) launches at 7:43 a.m. EDT atop a Lockheed Martin Atlas V rocket from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Aug. 12. All systems performed nominally for NASA's first Atlas V launch. The spacecraft will arrive at Mars in March 2006. Once in orbit around Mars, various instruments on the MRO will convey detailed observations of the Martian surface, subsurface and atmosphere. Researchers will use the data to study the history and distribution of Martian water. Learning more about what has happened to the water will focus searches for possible past or present Martian life. Observations by the orbiter will also support future Mars missions by examining potential landing sites and providing a communications relay between the Martian surface and Earth. |
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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
PIA04141
| Title |
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Launches |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) launches at 7:43 a.m. EDT atop a Lockheed Martin Atlas V rocket from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Aug. 12. All systems performed nominally for NASA's first Atlas V launch. The spacecraft will arrive at Mars in March 2006. Once in orbit around Mars, various instruments on the MRO will convey detailed observations of the Martian surface, subsurface and atmosphere. Researchers will use the data to study the history and distribution of Martian water. Learning more about what has happened to the water will focus searches for possible past or present Martian life. Observations by the orbiter will also support future Mars missions by examining potential landing sites and providing a communications relay between the Martian surface and Earth. |
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NASA Dedicates Martian Landm
PIA05155
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera, Panoram
| Title |
NASA Dedicates Martian Landmarks To Apollo 1 Crew |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
An image taken from Spirit's PanCam looking west depicts the nearby hills named after the astronauts of the Apollo 1. The crew of Apollo 1 perished in flash fire during a launch pad test of their Apollo spacecraft at Kennedy Space Center, Fl. on January 27, 1967. The inset above is an image taken by the Mars Global Surveyor's Mars Orbiter Camera of the Columbia Memorial Station and the nearby hills named after the Apollo 1 crew. "Grissom Hill" is located 7.5 kilometers (4.7 miles) to the Southwest of the rover Spirit's landing site. "White Hill" is 11.2 kilometers (7 miles) Northwest of its position and "Chaffee Hill" is 14.3 kilometers (8.9 miles) south-Southwest of Spirit. |
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NASA Dedicates Martian Landm
PIA05155
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera, Panoram
| Title |
NASA Dedicates Martian Landmarks To Apollo 1 Crew |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
An image taken from Spirit's PanCam looking west depicts the nearby hills named after the astronauts of the Apollo 1. The crew of Apollo 1 perished in flash fire during a launch pad test of their Apollo spacecraft at Kennedy Space Center, Fl. on January 27, 1967. The inset above is an image taken by the Mars Global Surveyor's Mars Orbiter Camera of the Columbia Memorial Station and the nearby hills named after the Apollo 1 crew. "Grissom Hill" is located 7.5 kilometers (4.7 miles) to the Southwest of the rover Spirit's landing site. "White Hill" is 11.2 kilometers (7 miles) Northwest of its position and "Chaffee Hill" is 14.3 kilometers (8.9 miles) south-Southwest of Spirit. |
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -
| Description |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, workers from Lockheed Martin prepare to conduct a gimbal full range of motion test on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) high-gain antenna. The MRO was built by Lockheed Martin for JPL. It is the next major step in Mars exploration and scheduled for launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in a window opening Aug. 10. The MRO is an important next step in fulfilling NASA?s vision of space exploration and ultimately sending human explorers to Mars and beyond. |
| Release Date |
05/25/2005 |
|
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -
| Description |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, workers from Lockheed Martin prepare to conduct a gimbal full range of motion test on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) high-gain antenna. The MRO was built by Lockheed Martin for JPL. It is the next major step in Mars exploration and scheduled for launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in a window opening Aug. 10. The MRO is an important next step in fulfilling NASA?s vision of space exploration and ultimately sending human explorers to Mars and beyond. |
| Release Date |
05/25/2005 |
|
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -
| Description |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, workers from Lockheed Martin prepare to conduct a gimbal full range of motion test on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) high-gain antenna. The MRO was built by Lockheed Martin for JPL. It is the next major step in Mars exploration and scheduled for launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in a window opening Aug. 10. The MRO is an important next step in fulfilling NASA?s vision of space exploration and ultimately sending human explorers to Mars and beyond. |
| Release Date |
05/25/2005 |
|
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -
| Description |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, workers from Lockheed Martin prepare to conduct a gimbal full range of motion test on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) high-gain antenna. The MRO was built by Lockheed Martin for JPL. It is the next major step in Mars exploration and scheduled for launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in a window opening Aug. 10. The MRO is an important next step in fulfilling NASA?s vision of space exploration and ultimately sending human explorers to Mars and beyond. |
| Release Date |
05/25/2005 |
|
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -
| Description |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, workers from Lockheed Martin prepare to conduct a gimbal full range of motion test on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) high-gain antenna. The MRO was built by Lockheed Martin for JPL. It is the next major step in Mars exploration and scheduled for launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in a window opening Aug. 10. The MRO is an important next step in fulfilling NASA?s vision of space exploration and ultimately sending human explorers to Mars and beyond. |
| Release Date |
05/25/2005 |
|
The 2001 Mars Odyssey Orbite
| Description |
The 2001 Mars Odyssey Orbiter is safely placed on a workstand in the Spacecraft Assembly & Encapsulation Facility -2. The Mars Odyssey Orbiter carries three science instruments: the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS), the Gamma Ray Spectrometer (GRS), and the Mars Radiation Environment Experiment (MARIE). THEMIS will map the mineralogy and morphology of the Martian surface using a high-resolution camera and a thermal infrared imaging spectrometer. The GRS will achieve global mapping of the elemental composition of the surface and determine the abundance of hydrogen in the shallow subsurface. [The GRS is a rebuild of the instrument lost with the Mars Observer mission.] The MARIE will characterize aspects of the near-space radiation environment as related to the radiation-related risk to human explorers. The Mars Odyssey Orbiter is scheduled for launch on April 7, 2001, aboard a Delta 7925 rocket from Launch Pad 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station |
| Release Date |
01/05/2001 |
|
In the Spacecraft Assembly &
| Description |
In the Spacecraft Assembly & Encapsulation Facility -2, workers help guide the 2001 Mars Odyssey Orbiter [ http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/2001/ ] to a workstand (left). The spacecraft carries three science instruments: the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS), the Gamma Ray Spectrometer (GRS), and the Mars Radiation Environment Experiment (MARIE). THEMIS will map the mineralogy and morphology of the Martian surface using a high-resolution camera and a thermal infrared imaging spectrometer. The GRS will achieve global mapping of the elemental composition of the surface and determine the abundance of hydrogen in the shallow subsurface. [The GRS is a rebuild of the instrument lost with the Mars Observer mission.] The MARIE will characterize aspects of the near-space radiation environment as related to the radiation-related risk to human explorers. The Mars Odyssey Orbiter is scheduled for launch on April 7, 2001, aboard a Delta 7925 rocket from Launch Pad 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station |
| Release Date |
01/05/2001 |
|
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