Author Topic: Atlas V 541 - Perseverance, Mars 2020 Rover - SLC-41 - July 30, 2020  (Read 116991 times)

Offline Chris Bergin

Mission Processing Thread - from the LV side - for the Mars 2020 mission.

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/?s=Mars+2020 - News Articles.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?board=57.0 - Mars 2020 (and MSL) Section.

Launch window opens July 17, 2020.

Edit to add by FST: slight slip now to NET July 20, 2020

Further edit by FST: WDR issue causes further slip to July 30



The official contract award (which we all knew, but the official release)

August 25, 2016
RELEASE 16-089
NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Mars 2020 Rover Mission

NASA has selected United Launch Services LLC of Centennial, Colorado, to provide launch services for a mission that will address high-priority science goals for the agency’s Journey to Mars.

Mars 2020 is targeted for launch in July 2020 aboard an Atlas V 541 rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The rover will conduct geological assessments of its landing site on Mars, determine the habitability of the environment, search for signs of ancient Martian life, and assess natural resources and hazards for future human explorers.

Additionally, scientists will use the instruments aboard the rover to identify and collect samples of rock and soil, encase them in sealed tubes, and leave them on the surface of Mars for potential return to Earth by a future mission to the Red Planet.

The mission will build on the achievements of Curiosity and other Mars Exploration Program missions, and offer opportunities to deploy new capabilities developed through investments by NASA's Space Technology Program and Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, as well as contributions from international partners.

The Mars 2020 rover mission presents new opportunities to learn how future human explorers could use natural resources available on the surface of the Red Planet. An ability to live off the land could reduce costs and engineering challenges posed by Mars exploration.

The total cost for NASA to launch Mars 2020 is approximately $243 million, which includes: the launch service; spacecraft and spacecraft power source processing; planetary protection processing; launch vehicle integration; and tracking, data and telemetry support.

NASA is on an ambitious journey to Mars that includes sending humans to the Red Planet. The robotic missions of NASA’s Planetary Science Division are leading the way with the upcoming Mars 2020 rover, the InSight lander mission targeted for 2018, Opportunity and Curiosity rovers currently exploring the Martian surface, Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft currently orbiting the planet, and the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN) orbiter, which is helping scientists understand what happened to the planet’s atmosphere.

NASA’s Launch Services Program at Kennedy Space Center in Florida will manage and oversee the Atlas V launch service for Mars 2020. The Mars 2020 Project at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars 2020 spacecraft development for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

For more information about NASA’s Mars 2020 rover, visit:

http://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/

For more information about NASA’s Launch Services Program, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/launchservices

-end-
« Last Edit: 07/19/2020 09:10 am by input~2 »
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Online shooter6947

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The total cost for NASA to launch Mars 2020 is approximately $243 million, which includes: the launch service; spacecraft and spacecraft power source processing; planetary protection processing; launch vehicle integration; and tracking, data and telemetry support.


$243M holy my goodness.  You can certainly see how a $90M Falcon Heavy would save NASA Planetary Science Division a fortune!  We could save $150M/yr easy this way, which would effectively amount to a 10% increase in the budget that we can allocate to missions and science instead! 

Offline Chris Bergin

NASA Selects United Launch Alliance Reliable Atlas V Rocket to

Launch Mars 2020 Mission

 

Centennial, Colo. (Aug. 25, 2016) –  NASA’s Launch Services Program announced today that it selected United Launch Alliance’s (ULA’s) proven Atlas V vehicle to launch Mars 2020, its next robotic science rover. This award resulted from a competitive procurement under the NASA Launch Services contract.

            “We are honored that NASA has selected ULA to provide another robotic science rover to Mars on this tremendously exciting mission,” said Laura Maginnis, ULA’s vice president of Custom Services. “Our launch vehicles have a rich heritage with Mars, supporting 17 successful missions over more than 50 years. ULA and our heritage rockets have launched every U.S. spacecraft to the red planet, including Mars Science Lab, as well as the Spirit and Opportunity rovers.”

The Mars 2020 mission is scheduled to launch in summer 2020 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. This mission will launch aboard an Atlas V 541 vehicle, which includes a 5-meter diameter payload fairing and four solid rocket motors.

            “With 64 successful missions spanning more than a decade of operational service, the commercially developed Atlas V is uniquely qualified to provide the best value launch service for these critical science missions,” said Tory Bruno, ULA CEO and president.

            The Mars 2020 rover mission is part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort of robotic exploration of the red planet, and will address high-priority science goals for Mars exploration, including key questions about the potential for life on Mars.

            ULA also will launch NASA’s Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) mission to Mars in May 2018.

            With more than a century of combined heritage, United Launch Alliance is the nation’s most experienced and reliable launch service provider. ULA has successfully delivered more than 100 satellites to orbit that provide critical capabilities for troops in the field, aid meteorologists in tracking severe weather, enable personal device-based GPS navigation and unlock the mysteries of our solar system.

            For more information on ULA, visit the ULA website at www.ulalaunch.com, or call the ULA Launch Hotline at 1-877-ULA-4321 (852-4321). Join the conversation at www.facebook.com/ulalaunch, twitter.com/ulalaunch and instagram.com/ulalaunch.
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Offline Zed_Noir

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The total cost for NASA to launch Mars 2020 is approximately $243 million, which includes: the launch service; spacecraft and spacecraft power source processing; planetary protection processing; launch vehicle integration; and tracking, data and telemetry support.


$243M holy my goodness.  You can certainly see how a $90M Falcon Heavy would save NASA Planetary Science Division a fortune!  We could save $150M/yr easy this way, which would effectively amount to a 10% increase in the budget that we can allocate to missions and science instead!
Not possible at this time. Only the Atlas V is currently rated for RTG.

Offline Jim

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The total cost for NASA to launch Mars 2020 is approximately $243 million, which includes: the launch service; spacecraft and spacecraft power source processing; planetary protection processing; launch vehicle integration; and tracking, data and telemetry support.


$243M holy my goodness.  You can certainly see how a $90M Falcon Heavy would save NASA Planetary Science Division a fortune!  We could save $150M/yr easy this way, which would effectively amount to a 10% increase in the budget that we can allocate to missions and science instead!

Falcon doesnt have the capability to have an RTG installed vertically

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August 25, 2016
RELEASE 16-089
NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Mars 2020 Rover Mission

<snip>
The total cost for NASA to launch Mars 2020 is approximately $243 million, which includes: the launch service; spacecraft and spacecraft power source processing; planetary protection processing; launch vehicle integration; and tracking, data and telemetry support.
<snip>
Is there a detailed breakdown or line items of the total cost?

Other than the fact, mentioned above, that Falcon launchers aren't currently rated for RTG use in a payload and can't support the vertical installation of RTGs:
Are there any other (dis)qualifying or selective factors against the choice of a Falcon launcher?

I assume Delta IV was not considered due to excessive cost compared to Atlas V?
« Last Edit: 08/26/2016 02:22 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline Jim

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1.  Is there a detailed breakdown or line items of the total cost?

2.  Are there any other (dis)qualifying or selective factors against the choice of a Falcon launcher?

3.  I assume Delta IV was not considered due to excessive cost compared to Atlas V?

1.  Never

2.  All the other vehicle and pad accommodations for the RTG

3.  No, not certified nor has nuclear approval.
« Last Edit: 08/26/2016 03:22 am by Jim »

Offline Arb

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Falcon doesnt have the capability to have an RTG installed vertically

What is it about RTGs that makes this a requirement?

From a quick Google of how they work (thanks Wikipedia) it's not obvious.


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Falcon doesnt have the capability to have an RTG installed vertically

What is it about RTGs that makes this a requirement?

From a quick Google of how they work (thanks Wikipedia) it's not obvious.

Based on some of the reservations NASA has about SpaceX crew entry before fueling operations (apparently they would prefer adding crew after fueling), my guess would be that the RTG is not loaded until the vehicle has been fully fueled.  Or at least they don't want to install it until as late into the pre-launch operations as possible.
If we don't continuously lower the cost to access space, how are we ever going to afford to expand humanity out into space?

Offline stoker5432

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The total cost for NASA to launch Mars 2020 is approximately $243 million, which includes: the launch service; spacecraft and spacecraft power source processing; planetary protection processing; launch vehicle integration; and tracking, data and telemetry support.


$243M holy my goodness.  You can certainly see how a $90M Falcon Heavy would save NASA Planetary Science Division a fortune!  We could save $150M/yr easy this way, which would effectively amount to a 10% increase in the budget that we can allocate to missions and science instead!

Falcon doesnt have the capability to have an RTG installed vertically

Why does an RTG have to be vertically installed?

Offline stoker5432

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Falcon doesnt have the capability to have an RTG installed vertically

What is it about RTGs that makes this a requirement?

From a quick Google of how they work (thanks Wikipedia) it's not obvious.

Based on some of the reservations NASA has about SpaceX crew entry before fueling operations (apparently they would prefer adding crew after fueling), my guess would be that the RTG is not loaded until the vehicle has been fully fueled.  Or at least they don't want to install it until as late into the pre-launch operations as possible.

No. Curiosity's RTG was not installed on the pad. It was installed at least 9 days prior to launch at the Vertical Integration Facility.
« Last Edit: 08/26/2016 11:02 pm by stoker5432 »

Online DaveS

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Falcon doesnt have the capability to have an RTG installed vertically

What is it about RTGs that makes this a requirement?

From a quick Google of how they work (thanks Wikipedia) it's not obvious.

Based on some of the reservations NASA has about SpaceX crew entry before fueling operations (apparently they would prefer adding crew after fueling), my guess would be that the RTG is not loaded until the vehicle has been fully fueled.  Or at least they don't want to install it until as late into the pre-launch operations as possible.

No. Curiosity's RTG was not installed on the pad.
It was installed after the PLF with the spacecraft had been integrated with the Atlas V in VIF.
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Offline Jim

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No. Curiosity's RTG was not installed on the pad. It was installed at least 9 days prior to launch at the Vertical Integration Facility.

The VIF is at SLC-41.. So, for all intents and purposes, It is at the "pad"

Offline Jim

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Both sides of the spacecraft need to be accessed in a clean room. 

Offline Chasm

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The MSL launch contract was $194.7 million.
The BLS inflation calculator inflates that 2006 value to $232.41 million in 2016.

So $243 million for the 2020 rover is not far off.

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Re: "spelling out" an example of RTG loading--for Curiosity--from the NSF forum thread:
Atlas-V - Mars Science Laboratory - Pre Launch Updates

Quote
STATUS REPORT: ELV-111811

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Spacecraft: Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity)
Launch Vehicle: Atlas V-541 (AV-028)
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 41
Launch Date: Nov. 25, 2011
Launch Time: 10:25 a.m. EST

<snip>

At Space Launch Complex 41, the multi-mission radioisotope
thermoelectric generator (MMRTG) was installed on the Curiosity rover
within the Atlas fairing on Nov. 17.
(VIF is part of SLC-41--see below.)

And from Nuclear power generator hooked up to Mars rover
Quote
The Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator, or MMRTG, moved from a preparation building to the Atlas 5 rocket's Vertical Integration Facility early Thursday.

The 99-pound device was lifted inside the building and inserted through an access door on the rocket's bulbous white payload fairing. Technicians placed the power source on Curiosity through an opening on the spacecraft's backshell, which encloses the rover and its landing system during the journey from Earth to Mars.

<snip>

The MMRTG is the final piece to go on the spacecraft because of the hazards with the radioactive power system.
« Last Edit: 08/27/2016 12:24 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline Jim

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Offline stoker5432

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Both sides of the spacecraft need to be accessed in a clean room.

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av028/111117mmrtg/

And your point is?

Just that the article clearly says the RTG was installed through a single panel on one side of the fairing, not both. Really doesn't matter anyway. If SpaceX's plans come to pass, the only LV sending spacecraft to Mars after 2020 will be BFR. On another note what's NASA plan once ULA retires Atlas V?

Offline russianhalo117

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Both sides of the spacecraft need to be accessed in a clean room.

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av028/111117mmrtg/

And your point is?

Just that the article clearly says the RTG was installed through a single panel on one side of the fairing, not both. Really doesn't matter anyway. If SpaceX's plans come to pass, the only LV sending spacecraft to Mars after 2020 will be BFR. On another note what's NASA plan once ULA retires Atlas V?
Next generation EELV launchers.
And to do a Jim on subliminal behalf of the Jim: you don't have any definitive proof that BFR will be the only launcher for spacecraft after 2020. There are already launchers booked past 2020.

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