NASASpaceFlight.com Forum
Commercial and US Government Launch Vehicles => ULA - Delta, Atlas, Vulcan => Topic started by: jacqmans on 05/10/2013 05:09 pm
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LIVE Pre-launch and launch day thread for Atlas V with Maven:
Launch Day coverage begins on Page 11 of this thread.
Articles:
Processing:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/02/nasas-maven-completes-assembly-mars/
Pre-Launch - By Chris Gebhardt:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/11/martian-atmosphere-maven-prepares-launch/
Launch Day - By William Graham:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/11/atlasv-launch-maven-mars-mission/
L2 Maven Updates:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=32608.0
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The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft is lowered into a thermal vacuum chamber at Lockheed Martin, near Denver, Colorado. TVAC testing ensures that the spacecraft is able to withstand the temperature extremes it will encounter during its mission to study the upper atmosphere of Mars. (Courtesy Lockheed Martin)
http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/maven/2013/06/20/environmental-testing-blog/
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Great picture, thanks for posting.
This is the launch I'm most looking forward to this year.
Anything being sent to Mars is a big moment for me. I'm just a huge Mars junkie.
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https://twitter.com/MAVEN2Mars/status/350635217893072896/photo/1
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With NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft in the background, Lockheed Martin’s Guy Beutelschies speaks to members of the Denver press corps during a July 15, 2013 event. MAVEN is ready to be shipped to Florida in preparations for a November 2013 launch.
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Will this launch be viewable from Playalinda since there is no RTG? I am also wondering if the planetary society and Bill Nye will show up since it's a Mars mission.
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MAVEN Dry Spin Balance Test
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFXaA2UNMiE
MAVEN Solar Panel Deployment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxxUUO4tgWs
Moving MAVEN into Thermal Vacuum Chamber at Lockheed Martin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtUcMhqT2Pc
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MAVEN is traveling 39 miles fr om @LockheedMartin to @Buckley_AFB, wh ere it will be loaded onto a @usairforce C-17.
https://twitter.com/MAVEN2Mars/status/363322319545970689
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MAVEN is traveling 39 miles fr om @LockheedMartin to @Buckley_AFB, wh ere it will be loaded onto a @usairforce C-17.
https://twitter.com/MAVEN2Mars/status/363322319545970689
LINK: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/home/index.html#.UfxbixawArg
Latest Updates from Kennedy
MAVEN Arrives at Kennedy to Begin Launch Processing
Friday, 2 Aug 2013 8:00 PM
NASA's MAVEN spacecraft arrived at Kennedy at 7:58 p.m. EDT inside a C-17 aircraft to complete its last long journey before heading to Mars in November. Packaged inside a metal shipping container, the spacecraft was carefully removed from the aircraft's cargo area and will be taken to the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility for launch processing. MAVEN, short for Mars Atmosphere and Volatiles Evolution, was flown from Buckley Air Force Base in Colorado near the Lockheed Martin facility in Littleton, Colo., where the spacecraft was built. MAVEN is to lift off on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V in November to begin a 10-month voyage to Mars, Earth's closest planetary neighbor. It is the first mission dedicated to studying Mars' upper atmosphere and scientists hope to find traces of the ancient environment thought to have existed there.
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Next Mission to Mars Progressing Toward November Launch
DENVER, Aug. 5, 2013 - Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] delivered NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft to the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. on Friday, Aug. 2. The orbiter will now undergo three-and-a-half months of final processing in preparation for a November launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V -401 rocket.
The MAVEN mission will be the first dedicated to surveying the upper atmosphere of Mars in an effort to understand the role that the loss of atmospheric gas to space played in changing the Martian climate. Lockheed Martin Space Systems near Denver designed and built the spacecraft and is responsible for testing, launch processing and mission operations.
"After completing a year of assembly and rigorous testing, we are thrilled that MAVEN has safely arrived at Kennedy Space Center and is ready to start the final months of processing," said Guy Beutelschies, MAVEN program manager at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. "Our successful delivery of the MAVEN spacecraft is a significant milestone, and many on our team have moved to Florida with MAVEN so they can continue working to prepare the orbiter to be ready when the Nov. 18 launch window opens."
The 1,784-pound spacecraft was shipped on a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport plane in an environmentally controlled container. The C-17, MAVEN and support personnel took off from Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colo. and touched down at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility, on one of the largest runways in the world. While at Kennedy, the spacecraft will undergo final processing including re-installation of the high-gain antenna, software testing, propellant loading, a spin balance, a second solar array deployment and illumination test, and a payload deployment test.
"It was great to see MAVEN leave Colorado and arrive at Florida," said MAVEN Principal Investigator Bruce Jakosky from the University of Colorado Boulder's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics. "As thrilling as it was to fly with MAVEN on the C-17, I'm more looking forward to the day when it arrives at its final destination and we can begin our science observations."
"We're excited and proud to ship the spacecraft right on schedule," said David Mitchell, MAVEN project manager at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "But more critical milestones lie ahead before we accomplish our mission of collecting science data from Mars. I firmly believe the team is up to the task. Now we begin the final push to launch."
MAVEN's principal investigator is based at the University of Colorado at Boulder's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics. The university will provide science operations, science instruments and lead Education/Public Outreach. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center manages the project and provides two of the science instruments for the mission. The University of California at Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory provides science instruments for the mission. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., provides navigation support, the Deep Space Network and the Electra telecommunications relay hardware and operations.
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RELEASE 13-244
NASA Begins Launch Preparations for Next Mars Mission
NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatiles Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft is seen inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility on Aug. 3. 2013 at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. MAVEN will be prepared inside the facility for its scheduled November launch to Mars.
NASA's next spacecraft going to Mars arrived Friday, Aug. 2, at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and is now perched in a cleanroom to begin final preparations for its November launch.
The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft is undergoing detailed testing and fueling prior to being moved to its launch pad. The mission has a 20-day launch period that opens Nov. 18.
The spacecraft will conduct the first mission dedicated to surveying the upper atmosphere of Mars. Scientists expect to obtain unprecedented data that will help them understand how the loss of atmospheric gas to space may have played a part in changing the planet's climate.
"We're excited and proud to ship the spacecraft right on schedule," said David Mitchell, MAVEN project manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "But more critical milestones lie ahead before we accomplish our mission of collecting science data from Mars. I firmly believe the team is up to the task. Now we begin the final push to launch."
Over the weekend, the team confirmed the spacecraft arrived in good condition. They removed the spacecraft from the shipping container and secured it to a rotation fixture in the cleanroom. In the next week, the team will reassemble components previously removed for transport. Further checks prior to launch will include software tests, spin balance tests, and test deployments of the spacecraft's solar panels and booms.
The spacecraft was transported from Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colo., on Friday, aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo plane. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Littleton, Colo., designed and built the spacecraft and is responsible for testing, launch processing, and mission operations.
"It's always a mix of excitement and stress when you ship a spacecraft down to the launch site," said Guy Beutelschies, MAVEN program manager at Lockheed Martin. "It's similar to moving your children to college after high school graduation. You're proud of the hard work to get to this point, but you know they still need some help before they're ready to be on their own."
Previous Mars missions detected energetic solar fields and particles that could drive atmospheric gases away from Mars. Unlike Earth, Mars does not have a planet-wide magnetic field that would deflect these solar winds. As a result, these winds may have stripped away much of Mars' atmosphere.
MAVEN's data will help scientists reconstruct the planet's past climate. Scientists will use MAVEN data to project how Mars became the cold, dusty desert planet we see today. The planned one-year mission begins with the spacecraft entering the Red Planet's orbit in September 2014.
"MAVEN is not going to detect life," said Bruce Jakosky, planetary scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder and MAVEN's principal investigator. "But it will help us understand the climate history, which is the history of its habitability."
MAVEN's principal investigator is based at the University of Colorado Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics in Boulder. The university provides science instruments and leads science operations, education and public outreach.
Goddard manages the project and provides two of the science instruments for the mission. Lockheed Martin built the spacecraft and is responsible for mission operations. The University of California at Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory provides science instruments for the mission. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., provides navigation support, Deep Space Network support, and Electra telecommunications relay hardware and operations.
To learn more about the MAVEN mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/maven
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MAVEN in Acoustics Testing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1VQCjEaxtQ
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Maven on the webcams
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MAVEN Instrument Testing Continues
Thursday, August 15, 2013 9:15 AM
Testing of MAVEN's eight science instruments began on Wednesday and is continuing today. The tests have been going well and are on schedule. The MAVEN test team will conclude this week's activity on Friday with magnetic system testing and checkout of the reaction wheel assembly. Early next week checkout of the spacecraft's solar arrays will begin. The spacecraft arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Aug. 2 and is being prepared for its launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, scheduled for Nov. 18.
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MAVEN Magnetic Swing Test
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onuX7rnokS4
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MAVEN high gain antenna attached @NASAKennedy in preparation for 11/18 launch window opening
https://twitter.com/MAVEN2Mars/status/368398468533862401/photo/1
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I've book my daughter and myself for that weekend, hope she launches on the 18th. How is KSC handling launch tickets now? When we saw the Curiosity launch we were lucky to get tickets to the Staturn V viewing area.
Is Playalinda Beach as good as the Saturn V area? Does it fill up / close?
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For NASA's upcoming mission to the Red Planet, the high gain antenna is attached to the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution spacecraft. The work occurred in a clean room facility high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The antenna will relay data back to Earth from eight science instruments aboard the spacecraft using NASA's Deep Space Network.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v__Fue-75cQ
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Coming together nicely. :)
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MAVEN Enters a Busy Week of Prelaunch Testing
Tues, 20 Aug 2013 10:40 AM EDT
MAVEN is beginning a busy week of prelaunch preparations at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The spacecraft's two sets of solar arrays are in a clean room work stand for inspections, cleaning and electrical testing beginning today; the arrays will be reintegrated with MAVEN in September. The final flight software installation also is planned for today, and a spacecraft thruster functional check is scheduled for Friday. Testing of the reaction wheel system and instrument magnetic systems were completed Monday.
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Jim is this one yours?
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Jim is this one yours?
No, my coworker's. And because he is busy with this, I am working EFT-1 for him
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MEDIA ADVISORY M13-127
MEDIA OPPORTUNITY FOR MAVEN ATLAS V BOOSTER ARRIVAL AUG. 26
NASA and United Launch Alliance (ULA) invite the news media to the arrival at Cape Canaveral of the Atlas V launch vehicle that will send NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft on its mission to Mars this fall.
The launch vehicle was manufactured in ULA’s factory in Decatur, Ala. It was shipped to Florida by the Mariner, a unique barge built to safely transport large rocket stages. News media will have the opportunity to view the offloading of the Atlas V’s two stages at Port Canaveral and then tour the Mariner.
NASA and ULA officials available will be:
Vernon Thorp, United Launch Alliance, NASA and Commercial Program Manager
Omar Baez, Launch Director, NASA Launch Services Program
Chuck Tatro, MAVEN Mission Manager, NASA Launch Services Program
MAVEN will launch aboard an Atlas V 401 with a 4-meter-diameter payload fairing. Liftoff is targeted for Nov. 18, 2013, from Space Launch Complex 41.
Media wishing to participate should be at the Space Florida parking lot of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station by 7:30 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 26 to be escorted to the event. Since this will occur in an operational area, no skirts, shorts, or tank tops will be allowed. Closed-toe, flat shoes are required. International media will not be able to participate because the event will take place on the Air Force station.
For more information about the MAVEN mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/maven
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International media will not be able to participate because the event will take place on the Air Force Station.
Ok this is new....kind of a silly reason....
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Ship arrives in port with @ulalaunch Delta Mariner to offload Atlas V that will launch MAVEN.
https://twitter.com/MAVEN2Mars
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International media will not be able to participate because the event will take place on the Air Force Station.
Ok this is new....kind of a silly reason....
Just like having to remind the media not to show up for work in shorts or a tank top.
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Just like having to remind the media not to show up for work in shorts or a tank top.
It's Florida in the middle of summer, second only to Houston in terms of Venus analogues. Media includes photographers and pasty basement bloggers and J.... well I'll be nice ;)
There are several reasons why people might want to wear shorts.
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NASA_LSP @NASA_LSP
How was your Monday? Ours was GREAT!!! This morning the #AtlasV and #Centaur for @MAVEN2Mars Nov launch arrived. pic.twitter.com/7kUNi62V13
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From Facebook
NASA's Launch Services Program
Engineers and technicians are to conclude testing of MAVEN's dual solar array wings today as the spacecraft continues its processing ahead of a Nov. 18 launch. The team also is testing the spacecraft's star tracker, an essential tool that allows MAVEN to determine where it is in space and where its instruments are pointing. As work on the spacecraft continues for the mission to study Mars' upper atmosphere, processing of the Atlas V rocket that will launch MAVEN also is getting under way. The two stages that will make up the Atlas V booster arrived at the Cape Canaveral AFS launch site Monday following a voyage from Alabama on a specialized ship called the Mariner. The first and second stages are in a hangar at the Atlas Space Flight Operations Center and will be taken to Space Launch Complex 41 for stacking in late September.
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MAVEN's Atlas V @ulalaunch booster and Centaur second stage arrived yesterday at Cape Canaveral
https://twitter.com/MAVEN2Mars/status/372385555742740481
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[Atlas V] Rocket Arrives at Cape for NASA's MAVEN Launch
Published on Aug 29, 2013
The Atlas V launch vehicle that will send NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft on its mission this fall arrived at Port Canaveral, Fla., Aug. 26.
The Mariner, a unique barge built to accommodate safely large rocket stages, transported the Atlas V's two stages to Florida following their manufacture at the United Launch Alliance factory in Decatur, Ala. MAVEN is targeted to lift off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 41 on Nov. 18. Following its 10-month voyage, the spacecraft will begin orbiting the Red Planet, where it will be the first mission dedicated to studying Mars' upper atmosphere. Scientists hope to find traces of the ancient environment thought to have existed there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6z7SBaOmeM
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MAVEN Communications System Tested
Tues, 10 Sept 2013 1:00 PM EDT
The MAVEN spacecraft is undergoing communications system tests throughout the week at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. These tests call for NASA’s next Mars explorer to communicate with the Deep Space Network through the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s MIL-71 ground station located at Kennedy. Meanwhile, thermal blanketing continues and associated thermal blanket closeouts are under way. MAVEN is scheduled for launch Nov. 18 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.
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MAVEN Communications System Tested
Wednesday, September 11, 2013 - 11:36
The MAVEN spacecraft is undergoing communications system tests throughout the week at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. These tests call for NASA’s next Mars explorer to communicate with the Deep Space Network through the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s MIL-71 ground station located at Kennedy. Meanwhile, thermal blanketing continues and associated thermal blanket closeouts are under way. MAVEN is scheduled for launch Nov. 18 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.
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Testing of NASA's MAVEN spacecraft continues at Kennedy Space Center in Florida with today's deployment of the Solar Wind Electron Analyzer, which will measure the solar wind and electrons in Mars' ionosphere. On Wednesday, the twin set of power-generating solar arrays will be reattached in preparation for the additional testing coming up when they're once again integrated with the spacecraft. MAVEN is slated for launch Nov. 18 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.
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RELEASE 22-13
NASA Hosts Social Media Event at MAVEN Launch in Florida
NASA will give 150 of its social media followers an insider's look at America's space program and the opportunity to see a launch in person. The NASA Social, scheduled for Nov. 16 and 18 to coincide with the launch of NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN), will be held at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA Socials are in-person meetings with people who engage with the agency through Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and other social networks.
MAVEN is targeted to launch at 1:27 p.m. EST Nov. 18 on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.
Registration for the NASA Social opens at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 17 and closes at 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27. Participants will be selected from online registrations.
International guests selected to attend the social will be required to submit a scanned copy of their visa and passport. Green card holders will be required to submit a scanned copy of their card.
NASA Social participants will have the opportunity to:
• View the launch of the Atlas V rocket carrying MAVEN.
• Hear first-hand accounts of the mission development and research goals from the MAVEN science and engineering teams from NASA Kennedy, Goddard and other organizations.
• Get a behind-the-scenes tour of the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (Note: All sites on KSC / CCAFS are subject to closure due to mission or operation requirements), including potential opportunities to:
- Look Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building.
- View the Atlas V launch pad.
- Visit the Launch Control Center.
• Meet and interact with representatives from NASA and other organizations.
• Meet fellow space enthusiasts who are active on social media.
• Meet members of NASA's social media team.
The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission is part of NASA's Mars Scout program, funded by NASA Headquarters. The mission will explore the Red Planet’s upper atmosphere, ionosphere and interactions with the sun and solar wind. Scientists will use MAVEN data to determine the role that loss of volatile compounds -- such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and water -- from the Mars atmosphere to space has played through time, giving insight into the history of Mars' atmosphere and climate, liquid water, and planetary habitability.
For more information on the NASA Social and to register, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/social
To find all the ways to connect and collaborate with NASA, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/connect
To learn more about MAVEN, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/maven
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MEDIA ADVISORY M13-153
NASA Offers Media Access to Next Mars Mission Spacecraft on Sept. 27
NASA’s next Mars-bound spacecraft, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) will be the focus of a media opportunity on Friday, Sept. 27, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The event at the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility is an opportunity to photograph MAVEN and interview project and launch program officials. MAVEN will be seen with its solar arrays deployed. MAVEN is targeted to launch from nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Complex 41 atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on Nov. 18.
There will be two opportunities to photograph the spacecraft on Sept. 27. For the first opportunity, media will begin boarding busses at 8:15 a.m. EDT at the Kennedy Press Site for transportation to the facility. Return to the Press Site is expected by 11:45 a.m. For the second opportunity, media will begin boarding busses at 11:15 a.m. Return to the press site is expected by 2:45 p.m.
Because of the limited number of people permitted in the cleanroom, only two representatives from a media organization will be allowed to participate. No more than 20 participants will be allowed to sign up for each of the two opportunities, which are on a space-available basis.
All media must RSVP for this event no later than Sept. 24 and specify the preferred opportunity. Contact Jennifer Horner at 321-867-6598 or [email protected].
U.S. news media requiring credentials also must apply for accreditation by Sept. 24. Two forms of government-issued identification are required to receive a badge, one with a photograph such as a driver’s license or passport. Badges will be available for pick up at the Kennedy Badging Office, located on State Road 405 east of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Hours for the Kennedy Badging Office are 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Journalists needing accreditation should apply online at:
https://media.ksc.nasa.gov
Individuals entering the cleanroom where the spacecraft is being prepared for launch must follow procedures for optically sensitive spacecraft. Full cleanroom attire (bunny suits) will be furnished and must be worn. Perfume, cologne and makeup are not allowed. Long pants and closed-toe shoes must be worn. No shorts or skirts will be permitted.
Photographers will need to clean camera equipment under the supervision of contamination-control specialists. All camera equipment must be self-contained, and no portable lights will be allowed. Non-essential equipment, such as suede, leather or vinyl camera bags or other carrying cases, must be left outside the cleanroom. No notebook paper, pencils, or click-type ball point pens are permitted. Cleanroom paper will be provided. No food, tobacco, chewing gum, lighters, matches or pocketknives will be allowed. Use of wireless microphones and cellular telephones is not allowed inside the cleanroom. Electronic flash will be permitted. The lighting in the facility is high-pressure sodium (orange).
MAVEN is the second mission for NASA’s Mars Scout Program and will obtain critical measurements of the Martian atmosphere to help understand climate change over the Red Planet’s history.
MAVEN is the first spacecraft devoted to exploring and understanding the Martian upper atmosphere. It will orbit the planet in an elliptical orbit that allows it to pass through and sample the entire upper atmosphere on every orbit. The spacecraft will investigate how the loss of Mars’ atmosphere to space determined the history of water on the surface.
MAVEN's principal investigator is based at the University of Colorado Boulder's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics. The university will provide science operations, science instruments and lead education and public outreach. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., manages the project and provides two of the science instruments for the mission. Lockheed Martin of Littleton, Colo., built the spacecraft and is responsible for mission operations. The University of California at Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory provides science instruments for the mission. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., provides navigation support, the Deep Space Network and the Electra telecommunications relay hardware and operations.
NASA’s Launch Services Program at Kennedy is responsible for launch management. United Launch Alliance of Centennial, Colo., is the provider of the Atlas V launch service.
For more information about the MAVEN mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/maven
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MAVEN's Solar Arrays Reattached
Wednesday, September 18, 2013 - 13:21
MAVEN, NASA's next Mars explorer, continues through its prelaunch processing milestones at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. MAVEN's twin solar arrays are being reattached to the spacecraft today after completion of recent inspections and current testing. Launch of MAVEN aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is scheduled for Nov. 18.
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Installations Focus on Magnetometers
Thursday, September 19, 2013 - 15:41
A pair of magnetometer instruments are being installed on the MAVEN spacecraft today, one on each of the Mars orbiter's solar array wings. Engineers and technicians continue through pre-launch processing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of a Nov. 18 liftoff. The magnetometers will measure the magnetic field of the Red Planet as MAVEN orbits. More details about the magnetometer instrument are available at
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/maven/news/magnetometer.html
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Looking forward to the data provided by this mission.
Also to the folks working on this launch, thank you for the anniversary candle!
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From Facebook
NASA's Launch Services Program
MAVEN's twin power-producing solar arrays, now attached to the spacecraft, underwent a full deployment test today at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The arrays were put through the same deployment sequence they'll experience in space after separating from the Centaur upper stage of the Atlas V launch vehicle. The deployment test was followed by a solar array illumination test, verifying the arrays were responding to light and generating power.
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News Media Sees MAVEN Up Close
Fri, 27 Sept 2013 12:49 PM EDT
Reporters and photographers look over the MAVEN spacecraft and interview program officials Friday inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. MAVEN is going through pre-launch processing at Kennedy ahead of its trip to Mars which is to begin with a liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on Nov. 18. Engineers will fold MAVEN's power-generating solar arrays into launch position on either side of the spacecraft's main body. The craft is built to orbit Mars to detail the composition of the upper atmosphere of the Red Planet. Researchers hope the information will reveal to them what happened to make Mars a dry, desolate world.
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perhaps my question was already answered somewhere or so, but was not able to find it:
what does the gov. shutdown mean for the maven? will it launch? will the launch be postponed?
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perhaps my question was already answered somewhere or so, but was not able to find it:
what does the gov. shutdown mean for the maven? will it launch? will the launch be postponed?
Too early to say for sure, although if the shutdown is prolonged then yes there will probably a delay to the launch: http://www.planetary.org/blogs/casey-dreier/2013/20130930-a-government-shutdown-could-delay-maven.html (http://www.planetary.org/blogs/casey-dreier/2013/20130930-a-government-shutdown-could-delay-maven.html)
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thanks
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Thanks sounds like there is a danger of both a hefty scientific & financial penalty unless things get moving.
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Since KSC is shutdown, there is no access to MAVEN for anybody to work on it.
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Since KSC is shutdown, there is no access to MAVEN for anybody to work on it.
Will processing continue on the LV?
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Since KSC is shutdown, there is no access to MAVEN for anybody to work on it.
Will processing continue on the LV?
They are independent of KSC and NASA support, so yes.
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Since KSC is shutdown, there is no access to MAVEN for anybody to work on it.
Will processing continue on the LV?
They are independent of KSC and NASA support, so yes.
Is access restricted at CCAFS at this time ?
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What happens to the Atlas if MAVEN misses its launch window. Is it put into storage or allocated to another payload?
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What happens to the Atlas if MAVEN misses its launch window. Is it put into storage or allocated to another payload?
It'll be assigned to another mission.
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Looks like MAVEN has been granted exemption status and will continue toward launch on Nov. 18 in spite of the Federal government shutdown.
http://t.nbcnews.com/science/nasas-maven-mission-mars-back-track-after-shutdown-holdup-8C11332740
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Well, that's one small bit of sanity for today
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Looks like MAVEN has been granted exemption status and will continue toward launch on Nov. 18 in spite of the Federal government shutdown.
http://t.nbcnews.com/science/nasas-maven-mission-mars-back-track-after-shutdown-holdup-8C11332740
Excellent news & a reasonably decision on the circumstances.
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Hello,
I hope this isn't off-topic.
For a while now I've been planning on making MAVEN my maiden in-person rocket launch viewing. I was sad to hear the news of the US govt shutdown and its effects on NASA, but obviously now MAVEN will press on regardless. My question is if the Nov 18 date is still the date, or if there's slight slippage? When could I be reasonably be expected to know a firm date (as far as launch preparations for the LV and MAVEN are concerned)? I'd hate to fly all the way from Sweden to America and back only to see the inside of KSC (and I can't stay for the duration of the whole launch window).
Thanks in advance!
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The visitor center said they might know about launch viewing tickets in late October. My daughter and I are coming from California for the launch + Disney. I think the MAVEN PI said they have a week or so of slack in the schedule, but anything can happen to delay the launch including weather. I think they had to replace a battery in the MSL Atlas V and that delayed the launch a day from the original target.
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The visitor center said they might know about launch viewing tickets in late October. My daughter and I are coming from California for the launch + Disney. I think the MAVEN PI said they have a week or so of slack in the schedule, but anything can happen to delay the launch including weather. I think they had to replace a battery in the MSL Atlas V and that delayed the launch a day from the original target.
According to all news stories I have read states that they were 9 days ahead of the schedule when they were shut down so they should be down 2-3 days so no impact to the November 18 launch date unless they start to run into some serious problems that eats the rest of the contingency days.
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MAVEN Launch Preps on Schedule
Friday, October 18, 2013 - 10:24
MAVEN launch preparations remain on schedule and have continued to go well since spacecraft processing resumed earlier this month. On Tuesday, Oct. 22, MAVEN is slated for a spin test without propellant aboard. Once complete, the spacecraft will be prepared for fueling. The Atlas V rocket payload fairing will be moved into the clean room on Oct. 21 in preparation for MAVEN's encapsulation beginning in early November.
The Atlas booster was hoisted into the vertical integration facility at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 41 on Oct. 11, and the Centaur upper stage was hoisted atop the Atlas the following Monday. United Launch Alliance has completed powering on the stacked vehicle for checkout. The Combined Systems Test, an electrical test of the rocket, is scheduled for Oct. 22.
The launch of MAVEN is scheduled for Nov. 18 at 1:28 p.m. EST.
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MAVEN Faces Busy Week of Processing Milestones
Monday, October 21, 2013 - 10:12
MAVEN is slated for a spin test today at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where the spacecraft is being prepared for its upcoming mission to Mars. Processing activities remain on schedule and are progressing well. Today's spin test will check MAVEN's balance at various spin rates up to 10 revolutions per minute. The next step for the processing team will be to fuel the spacecraft, most likely later this week.
Also today, the protective payload fairing for the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is moving into the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility's high bay, where it will encapsulate the MAVEN spacecraft in early November.
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Spin Balance Test Concludes Today; Rocket Undergoes Electrical Testing
Tuesday, October 22, 2013 - 11:15
A spin test to check the balance of the MAVEN spacecraft has been going well and is set to conclude today in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The two halves of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V payload fairing were moved into the facility's high bay yesterday, where the spacecraft is undergoing prelaunch activities. Fueling of MAVEN with its control propellant is scheduled for Friday.
Meanwhile, in the Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 41, United Launch Alliance is conducting the Combined Systems Test of the Atlas V rocket. This is primarily an electrical test of the vehicle that includes a check of the systems to be activated during the countdown, as well as the vehicle flight events that will take place during the launch.
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Oct. 23, 2013
MEDIA ADVISORY M13-162
NASA Hosts NASA TV News Briefing on Upcoming Mars Mission
NASA will host a news briefing at 2 p.m. EDT Monday, Oct. 28, to discuss the upcoming launch of the agency's next mission to Mars and the first devoted to understanding the upper atmosphere of the Red Planet.
The briefing on the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission will take place at NASA Headquarters, 300 E St. SW in Washington, and air live on NASA Television and the agency's website.
MAVEN is scheduled to launch at 1:28 p.m. EST Nov. 18 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. MAVEN's data will be used to study the history and change of Mars’ atmosphere, climate, and planetary habitability.
Briefing participants are:
- John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington
- Jim Green, director, Planetary Science Division, Headquarters
- Lisa May, MAVEN program executive, Headquarters
- Kelly Fast, MAVEN program scientist, Headquarters
- Bruce Jakosky, MAVEN principal investigator, University of Colorado Boulder Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
- David Mitchell, MAVEN project manager, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
Journalists unable to attend in person may ask questions from participating NASA locations, join by phone, or send questions via Twitter using the hashtag #askNASA. To participate by phone, reporters must contact Steve Cole at [email protected] with their media affiliation by 1 p.m. Monday.
For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv
For more information about the mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/maven
and
http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/maven/
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There was an event in DC last night: http://www.livestream.com/maven2013
Anyone have any info on launch viewing tickets or when the visitor center usually has notification before a launch?
Thanks,
James
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MAVEN Fueled for Flight
Friday, October 25, 2013 - 09:51
Today Lockheed Martin team members in Kennedy Space Center's Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility are fueling the MAVEN spacecraft for its upcoming mission. The 431 gallons of hydrazine propellant will be used for spacecraft control and trajectory adjustments during MAVEN's journey to Mars, and for placing the spacecraft into position for Mars capture as it approaches the Red Planet. The fuel also will keep MAVEN in its correct elliptical orbit throughout the mission, and at its conclusion, will boost the satellite into a higher elliptical orbit to relay data from other spacecraft currently on the surface of Mars.
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at its conclusion, will boost the satellite into a higher elliptical orbit to relay data from other spacecraft currently on the surface of Mars.
Oh cool, didn't know that was the plan. I was a bit worried they were going to let it decay after the low passes, or (unlikely) deorbit it.
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at its conclusion, will boost the satellite into a higher elliptical orbit to relay data from other spacecraft currently on the surface of Mars.
Oh cool, didn't know that was the plan. I was a bit worried they were going to let it decay after the low passes, or (unlikely) deorbit it.
But... but if the S/C is still alive, why not continue to do science? MODY and MRO aren't functioning only as communication relays - they're still taking data! Yeah, I know MAVEN can also continue to do some science in a higher orbit - with the SWEA, SWIA, IUVS atleast, if not its entire suite of instruments - but if it has the prop budget to continue low altitude observations, surely it should continue to do so? THAT IS after all, its raison d'ętre!?
Accounting for planetary protection, by mitigating forward contamination risks - is something that ought to be done during the manufacture/build phase, as opposed to ops, surely?1 Yeah yeah, I know.. there's a higher COST (rover standard clean-rooms vs orbiter standard, material restrictions, design considerations etc.), but then there's increased "secondary" science return (impact studies), and science-lifetime of the primary mission too. It might even save you the need to launch frequently (conjunction class missions to ensure no observation gap..).
And then there's the argument that making a probe into a comm-sat does serve science. Albeit surface science. Has anydone a steganographical analysis of the rover tracks? Aside from the "JPL" Morse in the martian dust, I expect you'd find them also scribbling "All sciences are equal, but surface sciences are more equal than others. LOL"
These MMT decisions, more often than not, confound me. I trust them, of course, but it seems the only way to arrive at the "correct" weights for opposing factors is with first-hand experience - which isn't really helpful to internet enthusiasts, in their jigsaw puzzle quest of piecing together the mission from outside the room.
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1 - After "Gravity", I decided to watch Cuaron's "Children of Men", and there's a scene where a character questions the contemporary wisdom of that reel-world, where it's normal to cut and cauterize up to four teats on each cow's udder - to make sure that they fit into the milking machine (which has slots for four teats only) - instead of building a machine with eight slots.
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Accounting for planetary protection, by mitigating forward contamination risks - is something that ought to be done during the manufacture/build phase, as opposed to ops, surely?1 Yeah yeah, I know.. there's a higher COST (rover standard clean-rooms vs orbiter standard, material restrictions, design considerations etc.), but then there's increased "secondary" science return (impact studies), and science-lifetime of the primary mission too. It might even save you the need to launch frequently (conjunction class missions to ensure no observation gap..).
The additional science is not worth the additional costs of PP.
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Looks like the launch vehicle is out at the pad for the WDR. (Heh, didn't see Jacques' post coming...)
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NASA_LSP @NASA_LSP
The Atlas V rocket set to launch @MAVEN2Mars is at the launch pad for Tuesday's Wet Dress Rehearsal. pic.twitter.com/L5OxX6PuV7
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NASA News Briefing on the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) Mission
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8540
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RELEASE 13-315
NASA Prepares to Launch First Mission to Explore Martian Atmosphere
A NASA spacecraft that will examine the upper atmosphere of Mars in unprecedented detail is undergoing final preparations for a scheduled 1:28 p.m. EST Monday, Nov. 18 launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution mission (MAVEN) will examine specific processes on Mars that led to the loss of much of its atmosphere. Data and analysis could tell planetary scientists the history of climate change on the Red Planet and provide further information on the history of planetary habitability.
"The MAVEN mission is a significant step toward unraveling the planetary puzzle about Mars' past and present environments," said John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. "The knowledge we gain will build on past and current missions examining Mars and will help inform future missions to send humans to Mars."
The 5,410-pound spacecraft will launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket on a 10-month journey to Mars. After arriving at Mars in September 2014, MAVEN will settle into its elliptical science orbit.
Over the course of its one-Earth-year primary mission, MAVEN will observe all of Mars' latitudes. Altitudes will range from 93 miles to more than 3,800 miles. During the primary mission, MAVEN will execute five deep dip maneuvers, descending to an altitude of 78 miles. This marks the lower boundary of the planet's upper atmosphere.
"Launch is an important event, but it's only a step along the way to getting the science measurements," said Bruce Jakosky, principal investigator at the University of Colorado, Boulder's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (CU/LASP) in Boulder. "We're excited about the science we'll be doing, and are anxious now to get to Mars."
The MAVEN spacecraft will carry three instrument suites. The Particles and Fields Package, provided by the University of California at Berkeley with support from CU/LASP and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., contains six instruments to characterize the solar wind and the ionosphere of Mars. The Remote Sensing Package, built by CU/LASP, will determine global characteristics of the upper atmosphere and ionosphere. The Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer, built by Goddard, will measure the composition of Mars’ upper atmosphere.
"When we proposed and were selected to develop MAVEN back in 2008, we set our sights on Nov. 18, 2013, as our first launch opportunity," said Dave Mitchell, MAVEN project manager at Goddard. "Now we are poised to launch on that very day. That's quite an accomplishment by the team."
MAVEN's principal investigator is based at CU/LASP. The university provided science instruments and leads science operations, as well as education and public outreach, for the mission.
Goddard manages the project and provided two of the science instruments for the mission. Lockheed Martin built the spacecraft and is responsible for mission operations. The University of California at Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory provided science instruments for the mission. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., provides navigation support, Deep Space Network support, and Electra telecommunications relay hardware and operations.
For more information about the MAVEN mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/maven
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Joint operations between MOM & Maven.
http://www.universetoday.com/105772/maven-and-mom-missions-from-nasa-and-india-plan-martian-science-collaboration-in-orbit/
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The DVD containing haikus, artwork and 100,000 names...now attached to a solar array wing
https://twitter.com/MAVEN2Mars/
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Atlas V Rocket Put to the Test in Countdown Rehearsal
Tuesday, October 29, 2013 - 09:45
The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket that will launch the MAVEN spacecraft Nov. 18 is being put to the test today at Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The rocket is fully loaded with propellants, including liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen and RP-1 kerosene fuel for the Wet Dress Rehearsal, highlighted by an unabridged launch countdown procedure that ends just before countdown clocks reach the T-0 mark. The MAVEN spacecraft, however, is not atop the rocket for today's test. Following the rehearsal, the rocket will be detanked and on Wednesday will return to the Vertical Integration Facility at the launch complex.
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MAVEN payload fairing inspections begin
Engineers and technicians at NASA's Kennedy Space Center have begun inspecting MAVEN's 4m diameter payload fairing (PLF).
The spacecraft has completed pre-launch testing and will be encapsulated in the United Launch Alliance fairing early next week in advance of being loaded on top of the Atlas V rocket and transported out to launch pad in the early morning hours of Nov. 6th.
For additional details on the MAVEN Atlas V-401 launch vehicle and launch operations, visit ULA's MAVEN page: http://bit.ly/1gYweXg
(Image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett)
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From Facebook
NASA's Launch Services Program
The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is moving back to the Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41 today following completion of Tuesday's wet dress rehearsal. The rocket will now be prepared for the arrival of the payload fairing containing the MAVEN spacecraft on Nov. 6. Meanwhile, final inspections and closeouts of the spacecraft are under way in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, including installation of the last thermal blankets. The spacecraft will be weighed and mated to the Atlas V payload adapter on Friday.
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Mission overview
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Visitor center says on twitter that launch viewing at Saturn V or Atlantis lawn will be included with general admission, so I guess we just catch a bus out to Saturn V after seeing Atlantis in the morning? Has this been the norm for recent Atlas launches?
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Such a great article by Chris Gebhardt -
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/11/martian-atmosphere-maven-prepares-launch/
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MEDIA ADVISORY M27-13
NASA Chief Scientist Available To News Media At Kennedy Space Center
News media will have a chance to speak with NASA chief scientist and planetary geologist Dr. Ellen Stofan on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013. The interview opportunity will occur in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF) viewing room at the Kennedy Space Center. Dr. Stofan will be observing NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutionN, or MAVEN, spacecraft after it has been encapsulated in the payload fairing. MAVEN is to be moved to Space Launch Complex 41 on Nov. 7.
News media should be at Kennedy’s Press Site at 2 p.m. EST on Tuesday for transportation to the PHSF.
Those needing accreditation should apply online at https://media.ksc.nasa.gov by noon on Monday, Nov. 4. This event is open to U.S. media only. Badges may be picked up at the Kennedy badging office on State Road 405, east of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, after 8 a.m.
To learn more about the MAVEN mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/maven
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Friday, November 1, 2013 - 10:02
The MAVEN spacecraft is entering the home stretch of its prelaunch activities in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Today MAVEN is being mated with the payload attach fitting for the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, allowing encapsulation of the spacecraft into the payload fairing tomorrow.
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Do we have a list of daily launch windows after November 18?
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Do we have a list of daily launch windows after November 18?
They are centered around the same time
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I have seen some good digital copies of the NASA patch for MAVEN does anyone have a good copy of the ULA one for MAVEN?
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MAVEN has been encapsulated.
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I have seen some good digital copies of the NASA patch for MAVEN does anyone have a good copy of the ULA one for MAVEN?
ULA doesn't have a MAVEN patch.
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Such a great article by Chris Gebhardt -
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/11/martian-atmosphere-maven-prepares-launch/
Nice one Chris G! :) I starting to get excited with a new Mars mission about to happen again. 8)
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MAVEN Encapsulated Inside Atlas V Fairing
Tuesday, November 5, 2013 - 13:42
Engineers and technicians have fully encapsulated the MAVEN spacecraft in an Atlas V payload fairing and the team is performing a series of fairing closeouts today so the Mars-bound spacecraft can be hoisted atop the payload transporter Wednesday.
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From Facebook
NASA's Launch Services Program
During testing at Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, a leak was discovered in a ground system gaseous purge line required for the #MAVEN spacecraft. Operations to move the spacecraft, sealed inside its payload fairing, to the complex and install it atop the United Launch Alliancee #AtlasV rocket have been rescheduled to Friday to allow technicians an additional day to complete troubleshooting and repair activities for this ground system leak. Launch remains slated for Nov. 18 during a two-hour window opening at 1:28 p.m. EST.
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November 8, 2013
MEDIA ADVISORY M13-171
NASA Sets MAVEN/Atlas V Launch Events Coverage
NASA's next Mars-bound spacecraft, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN), is set to launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket Monday, Nov. 18.
The two-hour launch window extends from 1:28 p.m. to 3:28 p.m. EST. Liftoff will occur from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 41.
Launch commentary coverage and prelaunch media briefings, will be carried live on NASA Television and the agency's website.
MAVEN is the second mission under NASA's Mars Scout Program. It will take critical measurements of the Martian upper atmosphere to help scientists understand climate change over the Red Planet's history. MAVEN is the first spacecraft devoted to exploring and understanding the Martian upper atmosphere. It will orbit the planet in an elliptical orbit that allows it to pass through and sample the entire upper atmosphere on every orbit. The spacecraft will investigate how the loss of Mars' atmosphere to space determined the history of water on the surface.
NASA will host a number of pre- and post-launch activities at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, including:
Friday, Nov. 15
1 p.m. - Prelaunch news conference on NASA TV
2 p.m. - MAVEN Spanish media briefing on NASA TV
Saturday, Nov. 16
9 a.m. - Atlas V launch vehicle rollout transportation departs the Kennedy Press Site parking lot at 9 a.m. (not on NASA TV)
1:30 p.m. - Remote camera placement at Space Launch Complex 41 transportation departs the Kennedy Press Site parking lot at 1:30 p.m. (not on NASA TV).
2 p.m. - MAVEN NASA Social on NASA TV
Sunday, Nov. 17
9 a.m. - PhoneSat 2 overview media availability at Kennedy's Press Site (not on NASA TV)
10 a.m. - MAVEN mission science briefing on NASA TV
11:30 a.m. - "The Path Toward Humans to Mars" briefing on NASA TV
Monday, Nov. 18
11 a.m. - Live prelaunch commentary begins on NASA TV
Post-launch news conference on NASA TV targeted for about 2 1/2 hours after launch
Media who want to cover the MAVEN briefings and launch in person must apply for credentials at:
https://media.ksc.nasa.gov/
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From Facebook
MAVEN Positioned Atop Atlas V
The MAVEN spacecraft inside its protective fairing has been positioned atop the United Launch Alliance Atlas V booster this morning following an early morning trip from its processing hangar at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the launch pad at the adjacent Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The move began at 12:33 a.m. with a specialized payload transporter leaving the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility and traveling with a convoy to Space Launch Complex 41 where a stacked United Launch Alliance Atlas V was waiting for its payload. MAVEN arrived at the pad at 2:59 a.m. Crews began hoisting MAVEN into the Vertical Integration Facility at 6:43 a.m. and the spacecraft was soft-mated to the top of the rocket at 7:45 a.m.
The move and hoisting operations mark another major milestone for the launch team as everything proceeds on schedule to launch Nov. 18 at 1:28 p.m. EST to begin MAVEN's mission to study the Martian upper atmosphere. MAVEN will be powered up for a health check tomorrow. Then on Monday, controllers will run the Integrated Systems Test to assure that MAVEN and the Atlas V are working together. It is also an electrical test of the Atlas V.
Source: NASA
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A photo of MAVEN being mated to its Atlas V this morning
http://twitter.com/Maven2Mars
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above plus another--linked on Facebook and I don't have photo-shop to crop ???
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Can anyone tell me why they made this move in the middle of the night? Why not schedule it for a time when everyone can be at maximum alertness? Just curious.
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Can anyone tell me why they made this move in the middle of the night? Why not schedule it for a time when everyone can be at maximum alertness? Just curious.
Others have stated on the site previously that at this time there is the lowest chance of severe weather.
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Can anyone tell me why they made this move in the middle of the night? Why not schedule it for a time when everyone can be at maximum alertness? Just curious.
Traffic and weather considerations mainly. These convoys use the same the roads that other employees at KSC and CCAFS use for their normal travels and they don't travel very fast (less than 5 MPH/8 km/h) so getting stuck behind it is not very fun.
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Transporter uses same roads that hundreds of people use to get to work and throughout the day. Closing the roads for 3 hours would impact lots of people. Best time to lift the payload is in the morning when the weather in Florida is typically the calmest. Leave time for contingencies before arriving. Minimize the time that the payload is out in the open.
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In Friday's operations, MAVEN (in the fairing) mated to the AtlasV rocket.
https://twitter.com/NASA_LSP/status/399423874997452800
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Can anyone tell me why they made this move in the middle of the night? Why not schedule it for a time when everyone can be at maximum alertness? Just curious.
It doesn't take that much "alertness" to transport. Anyways, the timing is so that the lift onto the vehicle is at "maximum alertness".
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Can anyone tell me why they made this move in the middle of the night? Why not schedule it for a time when everyone can be at maximum alertness? Just curious.
These rollouts typically take place at night...whether it's for an Atlas V payload fairing or, to bring up the past, a Delta II payload, a shuttle and/or its payload canister to LC-39 at KSC
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From Facebook
Aerojet Rocketdyne
On Monday the MAVEN spacecraft, operating in unison with its United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch vehicle, passed a critical electrical test called the Integrated Systems Test.
This completed the last major test scheduled prior to launch. The rocket and spacecraft are inside the Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41, where spacecraft closeouts are in progress. On Thursday, MAVEN will be powered on for the last time before liftoff. Launch is targeted for 1:28 p.m. EST on Nov. 18.
The mission is scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard a ULA Atlas V rocket, with an RL10A-4-2 upper-stage engine, helium pressurization tanks, and a dozen Centaur upper-stage thrusters used for roll, pitch, yaw and settling burns.
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Can anyone tell me why they made this move in the middle of the night? Why not schedule it for a time when everyone can be at maximum alertness? Just curious.
Any professional sleep shifts for off-shift ops, and their management provides time prior to the operation when they are not scheduled to work for them to do so.
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NASA's MAVEN Prepared for Trip to Mars
Published on Nov 13, 2013
NASA is preparing to launch a spacecraft to study the upper atmosphere of the planet Mars. It's called MAVEN or the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RcVzckESsM
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From Facebook
NASA's Launch Services Program
The Flight Readiness Review was successfully held today at Kennedy Space Center for the launch of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket and NASA's MAVEN spacecraft bound for Mars. This thorough engineering review ensures the Atlas V, the downrange tracking assets of the Eastern Range, and the MAVEN spacecraft all are ready for launch. The Flight Readiness Review sets the stage for Friday's Launch Readiness Review, the final review for liftoff. This will give the "go" for rollout of the Atlas V to the launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Complex 41 on Saturday and for the scheduled launch on Monday, Nov. 18 at 1:28 p.m. Meanwhile at the launch complex, closeouts of the Atlas V rocket continue today and are nearing completion.
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RELEASE M28-13
NASA Sets MAVEN/Atlas V Launch Events Coverage
NASA’s next Mars-bound spacecraft, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutionN, or MAVEN, is set to launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket Nov. 18. The two-hour launch window extends from 1:28 to 3:28 p.m. EST. Liftoff will occur from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.
Launch commentary coverage, as well as prelaunch media briefings, will be carried live on NASA Television and the agency’s website.
MAVEN is the second mission for NASA’s Mars Scout Program and will obtain critical measurements of the Martian upper atmosphere to help understand the climate change over the Red Planet’s history.
MAVEN is the first spacecraft devoted to exploring and understanding the Martian upper atmosphere. It will orbit the planet in an elliptical orbit that allows it to pass through and sample the entire upper atmosphere on every orbit. The spacecraft will investigate how the loss of Mars’ atmosphere to space determined the history of water on the surface.
Prelaunch News Conference
NASA Television will air a prelaunch news conference at Kennedy Press Site TV Auditorium at 1 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 15. Briefing participants are:
-John Grunsfeld, NASA associate administrator
Science Mission Directorate, Washington
-Omar Baez, NASA launch director
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
-Vernon Thorp, program manager, NASA Missions
United Launch Alliance, Centennial, Colo.
-David Mitchell, NASA MAVEN project manager
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
-Guy Beutelschies, Lockheed Martin MAVEN project manager
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Littleton, Colo.
-Clay Flinn, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
MAVEN Spanish Media Briefing
On Friday, Nov. 15, at 2 p.m. a MAVEN Mission Briefing will be conducted in Spanish and will be carried live on NASA TV. Participants will be:
-Sandra Cauffman, deputy project manager
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
-Diana Calero, launch integration engineer
Launch Services Program, Kennedy Space Center
-Jared Espley, MAVEN science team member
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
PhoneSat 2 Media Availability
On Sunday, Nov. 17, at 9 a.m., Andy Petro, program executive for NASA’s Small Spacecraft Technology Program within the Space Technology Mission Directorate, will be available to give a mission overview and answer questions about the upcoming launch of PhoneSat 2, NASA’s second smartphone mission. NASA’s PhoneSat 2 cubesat is scheduled to launch Nov. 9 aboard an Air Force Minotaur 1 rocket from the Mid Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island, Va. PhoneSat 2 is a technology demonstration mission that highlights NASA's commitment to increase the capabilities and decrease the cost of American small satellites. Using off-the-shelf components, NASA hopes to evolve small satellite architecture.
MAVEN Mission Science Briefing
On Sunday, Nov. 17, at 10 a.m., a MAVEN mission science briefing will air live on NASA TV. Briefing participants are:
-Michael Meyer, lead Mars scientist
NASA Headquarters, Washington
-Bruce Jakosky, MAVEN principal investigator
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado at Boulder
-Janet Luhmann, MAVEN deputy principal investigator
University of California at Berkeley
-Nick Schneider, MAVEN IUVS instrument lead
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado at Boulder
-Paul Mahaffy, MAVEN NGIMS instrument lead
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
-David L. Mitchell, MAVEN SWEA instrument lead,
University of California at Berkeley
The Path Toward Humans to Mars
On Sunday, Nov. 17, at 11:30 a.m. in the Kennedy Press Site TV Auditorium, a briefing will outline NASA’s future human spaceflight plans. The briefing will be carried live on NASA TV. Participants will be:
-Ellen Stofan, NASA chief scientist
NASA Headquarters, Washington
-John Grunsfeld, associate administrator
Science Mission Directorate, Headquarters
-William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator
Human Exploration and Operations Directorate, Headquarters
-Michael Gazarik, associate administrator
Space Technology Mission Directorate., Headquarters
Post-Launch News Conference
A MAVEN post-launch news conference is targeted for approximately 2 ˝ hours after launch. It will be held in the Kennedy Press Site TV Auditorium. Participants will include:
-David Mitchell, NASA MAVEN project manager
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
-Bruce Jakosky, MAVEN principal investigator
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado at Boulder
A post-launch news release also will be issued when the state-of-health of the MAVEN spacecraft is known. Spokespersons also will be available at the Press Site to answer questions.
Accreditation and Media Access Badges for Kennedy Space Center
Media wishing to cover the MAVEN briefings and launch must apply for credentials at:
https://media.ksc.nasa.gov/
U.S. media requests must be received no later than Nov. 12; the deadline for foreign media has passed. Media may obtain access badges at the Gate 2 Press Accreditation Office (PIDS). For all news media, two forms of government issued identification are required upon arrival at Kennedy. At least one form must be a government issued photo identification, such as a passport or driver’s license. For further information about accreditation, contact Jennifer Horner at 321-867-6598 or 867-2468.
The press accreditation office (PIDS) for the news media on SR 3 will be open on Friday, Nov. 15 between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.; on Saturday, Nov. 16 from 7:30 a.m. until noon; on Sunday, Nov. 17 from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.; on launch day, Monday, Nov. 18, the hours will be 8 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.
On Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 16-17, Gate 2 on SR 3 will be closed, however, access is available through Gate 3 on SR 405, which can be accessed via Space Commerce Way located immediately south of Gate 2 on SR 3.
Atlas V Launch Vehicle Rollout
Saturday, Nov. 16: There will be a media opportunity to observe rollout of the Atlas V rocket from the Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad. Media should be at Kennedy’s Press Site at 9 a.m. for transportation to the viewing location near Space Launch Complex 41.
Remote Camera Placement at Space Launch Complex 41
Saturday, Nov. 16: Photographers who wish to set up remote sound-activated cameras at the Atlas V launch pad will be transported to Space Launch Complex 41 from the Kennedy Press Site parking lot at 1:30 p.m.
Launch Day Press Site Access
Monday, Nov. 18: Media will cover the MAVEN launch from Kennedy’s Press Site. Access will be through Gate 3 on State Road 405, east of the Kennedy’s visitor complex and through Gate 2 on State Road 3.
Kennedy News Center Hours
Friday, Nov. 15: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 16: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 17: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 18: 5:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
NASA Television Launch Coverage
On Monday, Nov. 18, NASA TV coverage of the launch will begin at 11 a.m. EST and conclude after the MAVEN spacecraft has separated from the Atlas V, which occurs about 52 minutes after launch. Live launch coverage will be carried on all NASA Television channels.
For NASA Television downlink information, schedule information and streaming video, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
Audio only of the press conferences and the launch coverage will be carried on the NASA "V" circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220 or -1240 or -1260 or -7135.
All of the briefings will be carried live on NASA Television with question and answer capability available from other NASA field centers. Call-in questions also will be taken by dialing 321-867-2468 no later than 15 minutes before the start of each briefing to establish a position in the queue.
On launch day, "mission audio," the launch conductor’s countdown activities without NASA TV launch commentary, will be carried on 321-867-7135 starting at 10:30 a.m. Launch also will be available on local amateur VHF radio frequency 146.940 MHz heard within Brevard County.
NASA Web Prelaunch and Launch Coverage
Extensive prelaunch and launch day coverage of the liftoff of the MAVEN spacecraft aboard an Atlas V rocket will be available on NASA's home page on the Internet at:
http://www.nasa.gov
Live countdown coverage through NASA's Launch Blog begins at 11 a.m., Monday, Nov. 18. Coverage features live updates as countdown milestones occur, as well as streaming video clips highlighting launch preparations and liftoff. For questions about countdown coverage, contact Nancy Bray at 321-867-9112.
To view the webcast and the blog or to learn more about the MAVEN mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/maven
For more information on the MAVEN mission, visit:
http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/maven/
Social Media
Join the conversation and follow the MAVEN mission online by using the #MAVEN on Twitter and Facebook at:
https://twitter.com/MAVEN2Mars
https://www.facebook.com/MAVEN2Mars
The NASA Kennedy Twitter and Facebook accounts will continuously be updated throughout the launch countdown at:
http://www.twitter.com/NASAKennedy
https://www.facebook.com/NASAKennedy
Throughout the launch countdown, the NASA LSP Twitter and Facebook accounts will be continuously updated throughout the launch countdown at:
http://www.twitter.com/NASA_LSP
https://www.facebook.com/NASALSP
Recorded Status
Recorded status reports and updates to the media advisory on the MAVEN launch will be provided through the Kennedy media phone line starting Thursday, Nov. 14. The telephone number is 321-867-2525.
Wireless Capability
Wireless capability for news media is available at Kennedy’s Press Site.
NASA’s Launch Services Program at Kennedy is responsible for launch management. United Launch Alliance of Centennial, Colo., is the provider of the Atlas V launch service. Lockheed Martin of Littleton, Colo., built the spacecraft and is responsible for mission operations after launch.
MAVEN's principal investigator is based at CU/LASP. The university provided science instruments and leads science operations, as well as education and public outreach, for the mission.
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., manages the project and provided two of the science instruments for the mission. Lockheed Martin built the spacecraft and is responsible for mission operations. The University of California at Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory provided science instruments for the mission. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., provides navigation support, Deep Space Network support, and Electra telecommunications relay hardware and operations.
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THe Maven Press Kit is available at:
http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/MAVEN_PressKit_Final.pdf
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The daily Maven launch windows are given at:
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av038/windows.html
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MAVEN Powered On Ahead of Launch
Thursday, November 14, 2013 - 16:44
Controllers turned on the MAVEN spacecraft today as the spacecraft and the Atlas V rocket that will send it to Mars continue on track for launch Monday at 1:28 p.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The final mission review for MAVEN, called the Launch Readiness Review, will take place Friday in the Mission Briefing Room at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. There are no significant issues or concerns going into the session.
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NAVAREA IV 706/2013 (GEN) ( 130651Z NOV 2013 )
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
ROCKETS.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS 181828Z TO 182108Z NOV, ALTERNATE
191822Z TO 192102Z AND 201815S TO 202055Z NOV
IN AREAS BOUND BY:
A. 28-36N 080-35W, 28-36N 080-16W,
28-34N 079-53W, 28-32N 079-53W,
28-33N 080-16W, 28-34N 080-32W,
28-34N 080-35W.
B. 25-47N 058-20W, 25-21N 056-20W,
24-29N 056-32W, 24-56N 058-32W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 202155Z NOV 13.
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Atlas Launch Forecast 14-11-2013
http://www.patrick.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070716-027.pdf
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Atlas Launch Forecast 14-11-2013
http://www.patrick.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070716-027.pdf
Wow. Tough decision to go out there on Monday.
Launch day overall probability of violating weather constraints: 40%
Primary concern(s):
Cumulus Clouds, Disturbed Weather, Thick Clouds
24-hour delay overall probability of violating weather constraints: 60%
Primary concern(s):
Cumulus Clouds, Disturbed Weather, Thick Clouds, Ground Winds
48-hour delay overall probability of violating weather constraints: 70%
Primary concern(s): Cumulus Clouds, Disturbed Weather, Ground Winds
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Atlas Launch Forecast 14-11-2013
http://www.patrick.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070716-027.pdf
Wow. Tough decision to go out there on Monday.
Launch day overall probability of violating weather constraints: 40%
Primary concern(s):
Cumulus Clouds, Disturbed Weather, Thick Clouds
They're going out "there" tomorrow.
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From Facebook
Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN Mission
MAVEN ‘Go’ to Proceed Toward Monday Launch
A Launch Readiness Review ended this morning with National Aeronautics and Space Administration - NASA and contractor managers giving MAVEN the “go” for launch at 1:28 p.m. EST on Monday, Nov. 18, from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
Today’s review is the final mission review for MAVEN and its ride into space, the United Launch Alliance #AtlasV rocket.
The Atlas V was also cleared for the rollout to the launch pad Saturday. Teams have not encountered any significant technical issues or concerns for launch.
Forecasters from the U.S. Air Force’s 45th Weather Squadron predict a 60 percent chance of favorable conditions during the two-hour launch window.
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MAVEN Prelaunch News Conference
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8591
MAVEN Science Objectives Google+ Hangout
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8588
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MEDIA ADVISORY M13-180
NASA Centers Host Public Viewing Events for Nov. 18 Mars Mission Launch
Five NASA centers around the United States will host events and activities Monday, Nov. 18, for the public to view the launch of the agency's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft and learn about its mission.
MAVEN, which is set to launch at 1:28 p.m. EST from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, will take critical measurements of the Martian upper atmosphere to help scientists understand climate change over the Red Planet's history.
Here is a schedule of events at NASA facilities in Washington, Maryland, Mississippi, Alabama and West Virginia:
(All times Eastern)
11 a.m. -- NASA's Stennis Space Center, near Bay St. Louis, Miss.: The INFINITY Science Center located on I-10 Exit 2, will host a live viewing of the launch, science project discussions with featured speakers, conduct a parachute design and launch demonstration and a Mars habitat competition. Visitors also may have their photographs taken on a simulated Martian surface. For more information, call 228-533-9025, ext. 311.
Noon -- NASA Headquarters, Washington: Launch coverage will be available in the James Webb Auditorium at 300 E St. SW. Jim Garvin, chief scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt Md., will discuss Mars exploration plans and answer questions from the public. MAVEN materials and other handouts will be available.
Noon -- NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. and the U.S. Space & Rocket Center will host a pre-launch panel discussion with representatives from the Marshall Center titled "Deep Space Exploration: Mars and Beyond." There will also be educational activities for children. The event will be held in the U.S. Space & Rocket Center's Davidson Center Digital Theater located at One Tranquility Base, Huntsville, Ala., 35805. The event is open to the public and there will be signs directing the public where to park. The launch will be shown live in the theater at 1:28 p.m. For more information, contact Shannon Ridinger at 256-544-3774.
1 p.m. -- NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.: Goddard's Visitors Center auditorium located off ICESat Road (formerly Soil Conservation Road) will show the launch and have available a planetary scientist to answer visitors' questions. For more information, contact the Goddard newsroom at 301-286-8955.
1 p.m. -- NASA’s Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) Facility, 5000 NASA Blvd. 5th Floor, Fairmont, W.Va: Events will include educational activities for students and educators before and after launch coverage. Take either elevator to the 5th floor. Media should use the South entrance. For more information contact Jennifer Neptune at: 304-367-8262.
For more details on MAVEN launch and mission activities, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/maven
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Atlas Launch Forecast: 15 November 2013
http://www.patrick.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070716-027.pdf
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Atlas Launch Forecast 14-11-2013
http://www.patrick.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070716-027.pdf
Wow. Tough decision to go out there on Monday.
Launch day overall probability of violating weather constraints: 40%
Primary concern(s):
Cumulus Clouds, Disturbed Weather, Thick Clouds
They're going out "there" tomorrow.
I was talking about me.
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MEDIA ADVISORY M13-182
NASA Administrator Available for Satellite Interviews on Agency's Next Mars Mission
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden is available for live satellite interviews from 6-8 a.m. EST Monday, Nov. 18, the morning of launch for the agency's next mission to Mars. The interviews will be carried live on NASA Television.
NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft is scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 1:28 p.m. on a 10-month journey to the Red Planet. MAVEN is the first spacecraft devoted to exploring and understanding the Martian upper atmosphere. It will take critical measurements of the Martian upper atmosphere to help scientists understand climate change over the planet's history.
Bolden, who will be at NASA's Kennedy Space Center -- just a few miles from MAVEN's launch pad -- can talk about the importance of this mission, how it fits into the agency's exploration priorities, including sending astronauts to Mars in the 2030s.
To participate in the live satellite interviews, reporters should contact Guy Noffsinger at NASA Headquarters in Washington at 310-386-0972 (cell) no later than 4 p.m. Sunday.
For more information about MAVEN, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/MAVEN
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As no party thread has been set up, I just wanted to get in before the big day and wish the teams the best of luck for a successful launch of MAVEN.
Go Atlas, Go Centaur! :)
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United Launch Alliance Atlas V Rocket Set to Launch
NASA’s MAVEN Spacecraft to the Red Planet
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., (Nov. 15, 2013) - A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is set to launch NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft on Monday, Nov. 18 at 1:28 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
This mission will be launched aboard an Atlas V 401 configuration vehicle, which includes a 4-meter diameter payload fairing. The Atlas booster for this mission will be powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 engine and the Centaur upper stage will be powered by a single Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10A engine.
"United Launch Alliance is proud to provide NASA’s ride to Mars for this very critical science mission,” said Jim Sponnick, ULA vice president, Atlas and Delta Programs. “Over the last decade, ULA launch systems have successfully launched all of NASA’s missions to the red planet, including the Spirit and Opportunity rovers and most recently the Mars Science Lab mission with the Curiosity rover.”
Less than an hour into flight, spacecraft separation from the Centaur upper stage will occur over Australia, sending MAVEN on its 10-month journey to the red planet.
MAVEN will examine specific processes on Mars that led to the loss of much of its atmosphere. Data and analysis will help planetary scientists understand the history of climate change on the red planet and provide further information on the history of planetary habitability.
ULA program management, engineering, test, and mission support functions are headquartered in Denver, Colo. Manufacturing, assembly and integration operations are located at Decatur, Ala., and Harlingen, Texas. Launch operations are located at Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., and Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
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 and twitter.com/ulalaunch.
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ULA:
Everything is progressing for NASA’s MAVEN launch. The mission is set to liftoff on a ULA Atlas V on Monday, Nov. 18 from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The two-hour launch window opens at 1:28 p.m. EST. Today’s L-3 forecast shows a 60 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for launch.
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Atlas Launch Forecast 14-11-2013
http://www.patrick.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070716-027.pdf
Wow. Tough decision to go out there on Monday.
Launch day overall probability of violating weather constraints: 40%
Primary concern(s):
Cumulus Clouds, Disturbed Weather, Thick Clouds
They're going out "there" tomorrow.
I was talking about me.
:-[
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NASA's MAVEN spacecraft went through weeks of processing to ensure it was ready for a 10-month trip to the Red Planet. Watch as time-lapse video condenses that to mere minutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbZZfwX-KmU
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MAVEN will roll the 1,800 feet to the SLC-41 pad at CCAFS at 10:00 am EST this morning.
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As no party thread has been set up, I just wanted to get in before the big day and wish the teams the best of luck for a successful launch of MAVEN.
Go Atlas, Go Centaur! :)
I don't get it. This spacecraft is going to Mars and there is no party thread. Yet, there are party threads for milquetoast comsats.
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I don't get it. This spacecraft is going to Mars and there is no party thread. Yet, there are party threads for milquetoast comsats.
After all this time, you are surprised that this forum is pretty much all about the rocket and not the payload?
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I don't get it. This spacecraft is going to Mars and there is no party thread. Yet, there are party threads for milquetoast comsats.
After all this time, you are surprised that this forum is pretty much all about the rocket and not the payload?
It seems like most of the interest here is in rockets, manned spaceflight, or firsts such as India's Mars mission. The flashy stuff.
Jim, being in the industry, understands that every science mission is something special with new instruments and clever engineering. These probes and the people who work on them are increasing our knowledge so one day astronauts will be able to do the flashy stuff.
I'll be watching the launch. Go MAVEN!
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I'll echo Jim's sentiment. The longer I follow spaceflight and rockets, the more I learn and the more interested I become in every sort of spacecraft and launcher. MAVEN is pretty amazing, even though it is "just" an Atlas V 401 with "just" a mars orbiter. It's not just anything at all! It's amazing.
Can't steer public opinion by telling them what they have to find interesting (sadly, some might say). There is still more interest for new launch vehicles, or technology that might lead to reuse or so. PR and flashy videos and goals might speak for less within actual companies, the general public ( and even moderatly interested space cadets ) are still influenced greatly.
But a discussion about PR and the general public's interest are a bit off topic.
I'll just close with wishing the best of luck to Atlas, Centaur ( just finished reading Taming Liquid Hydrogen, so a newfound interest in the stage ) and MAVEN. Hope the launch goes as planned, and that MAVEN might orbits for more then a decade to come.
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I don't get it. This spacecraft is going to Mars and there is no party thread. Yet, there are party threads for milquetoast comsats.
After all this time, you are surprised that this forum is pretty much all about the rocket and not the payload?
There's no drama. Going to Mars has become routine and everyone knows it's going to work. (Yeah, I know.)
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MAVEN rollout to the launch pad at SLC-41 is due to begin at 10 a.m. EST
https://twitter.com/MAVEN2Mars/status/401726500166459392
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ULA @ulalaunch
The AtlasV with MAVEN is rolling to the launch pad!
NASA's MAVEN Mission @MAVEN2Mars
Right on time. #MAVEN rolling out to launch pad on top of #AtlasV at CCAFS SLC-41
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WilliamBum William Bumgarner
@ulalaunch rolling #MAVEN to LC41! We are even closer than the press corp!
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NASA's MAVEN Mission @MAVEN2Mars
PHOTO: From this location on Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Pad 41, MAVEN will lift off for its journey to Mars
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ThemeParkReview Theme Park Review
The Atlas V rocket is almost to the launch pad ready for Monday's launch!
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NASA's MAVEN Mission @MAVEN2Mars
PHOTO: MAVEN set up atop the @ulalaunch AtlasV at Space Launch Complex 41 for its Nov. 18 trip to Mars
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto/sets/72157637731075053/
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Yes the rocket is at the pad, and I was there also ;)
More HR photos from me in L2 section. 8)
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http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/search.cfm?cat=267
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[MAVEN] Timelapse of Atlas V Rollout with MAVEN Spacecraft
Published on Nov 16, 2013
See a short timelapse of the Atlas V rocket with NASA's MAVEN Spacecraft onboard be rolled out to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0Fb6dwrxJ4
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[MAVEN] Timelapse of Atlas V Rollout with MAVEN Spacecraft
Published on Nov 16, 2013
See a short timelapse of the Atlas V rocket with NASA's MAVEN Spacecraft onboard be rolled out to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0Fb6dwrxJ4
I hope the Mars planetary protection program was adhered to for the MAVEN mission. Wouldn't want any of those giant killer hornets attacking the camera in the video to get up there and contaminate the place ;)
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But that is a burrowing species and could dig up all the water for us.
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Here some photos I took today of the Atlas V with MAVEN at the pad. The HR photos can be seen in the L2 section. ;)
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MAVEN Science Briefing
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8593
NASA Social - MAVEN Launch
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8592
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I'll echo Jim's sentiment. The longer I follow spaceflight and rockets, the more I learn and the more interested I become in every sort of spacecraft and launcher. MAVEN is pretty amazing, even though it is "just" an Atlas V 401 with "just" a mars orbiter. It's not just anything at all! It's amazing.
Can't steer public opinion by telling them what they have to find interesting (sadly, some might say). There is still more interest for new launch vehicles, or technology that might lead to reuse or so. PR and flashy videos and goals might speak for less within actual companies, the general public ( and even moderatly interested space cadets ) are still influenced greatly.
But a discussion about PR and the general public's interest are a bit off topic.
I'll just close with wishing the best of luck to Atlas, Centaur ( just finished reading Taming Liquid Hydrogen, so a newfound interest in the stage ) and MAVEN. Hope the launch goes as planned, and that MAVEN might orbits for more then a decade to come.
That "lack of PR and public interest" is a crappy rationalization for a lack of a party thread for this mission. Regular successful missions to Mars are an amazing feat, why should this space site go "yawn"? Of course if this site just panders to what is popular, why bother reporting about space at all? Space is not popular. JayZ, ScarJo are popular.
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The Path Toward Humans on Mars Briefing
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8594
MAVEN Video File
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8595
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There's apparently a livestream feed.
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William Graham's extensive preview article. Another superb effort from him:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/11/atlasv-launch-maven-mars-mission/
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Moved for live coverage.
Full resources:
Articles:
Processing:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/02/nasas-maven-completes-assembly-mars/
Pre-Launch - By Chris Gebhardt:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/11/martian-atmosphere-maven-prepares-launch/
Launch Day - By William Graham:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/11/atlasv-launch-maven-mars-mission/
L2 Maven Updates:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=32608.0
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Cool photo of the Atlas V lit by xenon and a Full Moon
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With the weather forecast worsening through Wednesday, what is the range outlook with SpaceX/SES on the horizon? I don't remember any mention of the range schedule in the briefs I saw.
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at its conclusion, will boost the satellite into a higher elliptical orbit to relay data from other spacecraft currently on the surface of Mars.
Oh cool, didn't know that was the plan. I was a bit worried they were going to let it decay after the low passes, or (unlikely) deorbit it.
But William Graham's article says
Following the end of its mission the spacecraft is expected to decay from orbit and enter the atmosphere of Mars, and as a result precautions have been taken to ensure it is sterilised in order to minimise contamination of the surface.
So which is it?
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at its conclusion, will boost the satellite into a higher elliptical orbit to relay data from other spacecraft currently on the surface of Mars.
Oh cool, didn't know that was the plan. I was a bit worried they were going to let it decay after the low passes, or (unlikely) deorbit it.
But William Graham's article says
Following the end of its mission the spacecraft is expected to decay from orbit and enter the atmosphere of Mars, and as a result precautions have been taken to ensure it is sterilised in order to minimise contamination of the surface.
So which is it?
The orbit will be raised for the extended mission, but it will still eventually decay.
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Bad news on the weather front: a huge thunderstorm system has fired up over the Florida Panhandle over the past few hours and has been moving steadily east - not sure if it will move southward towards the Cape.
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Bad news on the weather front: a huge thunderstorm system has fired up over the Florida Panhandle over the past few hours and has been moving steadily east - not sure if it will move southward towards the Cape.
It's a little ahead of the front, but it's also largely coming from out over the Gulf. It's nicer than I expected here this morning, almost Summer-like, but that's subjective. So far I haven't seen a new forecast issued from the 45th Weather Squadron.
Edit: attached a couple of shots from the press site from several minutes ago.
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40 mins to NASA TV coverage. Starting early, so I suspect a lot of it will be previews and such, before the business end of the count.
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Some shots I took a few minutes ago at the press site.
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Reached the hold at T-2 hours ahead of tanking the vehicle.
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NASA TV coverage starts at the top of the hour
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Cue the dramatic music and awesome graphics as coverage starts
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Here we go.
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T-2 hours and holding. L-150 mins.
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NASA TV coverage started now :) !
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60 percent GO weather.
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And into video file coverage of rollout and such.
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NASA Launch Manager just polled the team, including NASA Chief Engineer, NASA Mission Manager and Spacecraft for AtlasV cryogenic tanking.
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Sir George of Diller interviewing the launch folks.
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Out of the hold. T-1 hr 50 mins.
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NASA_LSP @NASA_LSP
NASA Winds reported the results of the secondary balloon to the NASA Chief Engineer. The NASA Winds engineer is in the Denver ADDJUST Room.
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Can see the haze associated with the outer fringe of the cloud system in those views from the camera sites around the pad...another shot from the press site.
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Centaur LOX tanking has begun.
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kinda cloudly
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kinda cloudly
Building, but thin overcast at this point.
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T-90 minutes. Atlas LO2 tanking has begun.
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NASA Winds reported to the NASA Chief Engineer that upper-level winds are expected to be GREEN throughout the 2-hour launch window
https://twitter.com/NASA_LSP/status/402478036487925760
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Centaur LO2 at 80%.
Centaur LO2 at 90%. T-1h 20m 30s.
Centaur LH2 at 94%, topping started.
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Atlas LO2 at 20%
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The plan 9 min burn & a nice large pic
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First stage LO2 at 50% now.
Just about to hit the T-60 minute mark.
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Atlas LO2 at 50%. You can really see the ice forming on the first stage:
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T-60 mins. Starting to vent now.
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T-60 minutes. LH2 chilldown complete. Start LH2 tanking.
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The Science slide
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the Center
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T-45 mins. LC-39A in the background.
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Only issue on the weather board right now is the field mill rule is red.
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LH2 at 80%.
LH2 at 90%. Fills up fast!
Range currently GREEN.
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Sounds like they went green on the field mill rule...green weather board right now announced on the countdown net.
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Centaur into topping on both LH2 and LO2.
Looks like the coast guard checking out the range:
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we caught a boat :D
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Coastguard on patrol there.
F&D Valves cycled.
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and the ducks are back...
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Subjective look at the satellite loop here, but it looks like the overcast is becoming more transparent as it comes in from the Gulf over the Peninsula.
George Diller talking about the field mill rule toggling back and forth for a little while, but as reported currently green.
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Redline monitor OTC CUK 020E. Centaur LO2 Delta Pressure measurement pressure issue noted. Tank test noted nominal.
Tank pressures indicating nominally at this time. Convening the anomaly team for a recommendation.
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Pressure measurement picked up on the red line monitor. Instrumentation says things look nominal, however.
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Pressure measurement picked up on the red line monitor. Instrumentation says things look nominal, however.
If I heard correctly a Centaur LO2 measurement...taking that over to the anomaly net.
Just passed T-30 minutes headed down to T-4.
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Can see the clouds starting to build a bit.
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nicer view ;)
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Acknowledging the violation and resetting. Sounds like it was a fluke.
EDIT: Transducer issue. Not appearing to be a concern.
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The ISS crew accepted an offer from Houston to stream live video of the launch to the Station
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Can see the clouds starting to build a bit.
Yeah, sort of a local build up. I stayed at the Press Site, but the shade probably helps the folks out on the Causeway.
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Anomaly team has reviewed redline data. Transducer is reading high, but within spec. No concern with proceeding through count and flight. Should not see recurrence of issue with planned ops. Recommend to proceed.
Anvil clouds building over the pad. Not in violation at the start, not forecasted to be in violation at the start of the window. Cumulus clouds continuing to build, not forecasted to be an issue at the start of the window. As we get later in the window they will become a concern.
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Now overviewing the redline issue. No concern.
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Final weather brief.
Wow, that weather guy talks faster than Mike Moses! :)
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I was wondering what the "field mill rule" was and a little googling suggests a "field mill" is a device used to measure electrical fields in the air: http://thunder.msfc.nasa.gov/validation/validation.html#KSC-EFMN. So a red "field mill rule" presumably means they're worried that the rocket will be struck by lightning.
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weather is go . . . looks go for a launch
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Final weather brief.
Wow, that weather guy talks faster than Mike Moses! :)
Thought *he* was hard to transcribe! Maybe decaf next time. ;)
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NASA's MAVEN Mission @MAVEN2Mars
MAVEN launch continues to progress towards targeted liftoff of 1:28 p.m. EST with no threats or violations.
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T=-7:00 and counting. Will hold at T=-4 min for 10 min.
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One thing I noted in the weather brief was that there was a question about when the last field mill measurement comes in before T-0...sounds like they're keeping an eye on that.
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120 seconds to the BIH.
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T-4 minutes and holding for 10 minutes. L-14 minutes.
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And there's the BIH mark.
Really is a pretty rocket. Let's stick a Dream Chaser on the top.
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Final polls ongoing.
GO for launch!
ISS wishing MAVEN team a successful launch and mission.
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T-minus 4 minutes and holding.
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Launch Readiness Poll.
Poll is GO.
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L-10 minutes. Still in the BIH for another 6 minutes.
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Spacecraft to internal power.
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NASA_LSP @NASA_LSP
MAVEN spacecraft is on internal power.
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http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/ recently froze for me but http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/ustream/ works. Weird.
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Go to proceed with terminal count.
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http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/ recently froze for me but http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/ustream/ works. Weird.
Fine on the ULA site.
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Start Count
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GO FOR LAUNCH!
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Here we go...
T-4 mins and counting!
Crowds....
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T-4 minutes and counting.
Good crowd out there today.
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T-minus 4 minutes and counting!
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Securing the tanks and into press for flight.
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T-3 minutes.
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It's packed house here at the visitor center viewing location.
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Vehicle power internal. Launch sequencer start. Securing Centaur LO2 LH2.
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Launch Sequencer Start.
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FTS Armed. Launch Enable.
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Range is GREEN.
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T-60 seconds. God Speed MAVEN!
Range GREEN.
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Go ATLAS! Go CENTAUR! Go MAVEN!
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GO ATLAS! GO CENTAUR! GO MAVEN!
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LIFTOFF!
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LAUNCH!
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LAUNCH!!!
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GO Atlas, GO Centaur, GO MAVEN!!!
LAUNCH!!!
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Very graceful. Good control.
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1,000 mph.
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Vehicle passing through Max-Q.
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Really pitching over:
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2,000 mph. Nice pitching!
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Launch.....
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Vehicle 45 miles in altitude, 96 miles down range, 7,00mph. Vehicle now 25% of its liftoff weight.
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That pitching was really nice to see on the telemetry screen. Hadn't noticed that before.
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Nominal flight. 5G throttling.
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BECO! Stage 1/2 sep. Stage 2 ignition!
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BECO + SEP
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Fairing sep!
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Staging.
1-2 Sep. Centaur ignition. Fairing Sep.
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11,700 mph.
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Fairing separation.
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An actual CGI model of MAVEN rather than the generic model satellite they usually seem to use.
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This first Centaur burn is 9 minutes and 30 seconds in duration and boosts the stack into a parking orbit around Earth.
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Vehicle performing nominally. Some noise in the telemetry but still looking good.
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That view through the clouds was stunning, what a beautiful sight.
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Into the clouds from the press site pretty quickly, but the sound was nice.
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Antigua now providing data. Loss of COMM through the Cape being so far away.
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One more. (Will post the full res on L2 later.)
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Smooth flight. RL-10 - set to become an even more famous engine in the future - having no problems, per usual.
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One more. (Will post the full res on L2 later.)
Awesome. I'll update the article from the screenshot to one of yours later :)
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120 seconds to MECO-1 on the Centaur.
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MECO1. Main engine shutdown 1.
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MECO-1! We're into a parking orbit. Into a 27 minute 36 second coast phase, followed by another burn and S/C sep.
Apogee: 170nm
Perigee: 87nm
Altitude: 130nm
Starting PTC roll. The numbers above will change a bit. All nominal.
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MECO-1
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MECO-1!
Just under 30 mins to the second burn. Into the coast.
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171X88 nm orbit at cutoff
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Orbit at SECO-1 approximately 162 by 316 km (88 by 171 nmi), inclined at 26.67 degrees. Nominal orbit was announced as 87 by 170 nmi.
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VAB Roof replay:
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Impressive plume!
TV Van 1 replay:
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Replay:
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Awesome purple/blue flame trailing the engine!
PAO Pad Surface Camera:
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Nice closeup!
Coast phase proceeding nominally.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh_nyFIwPy0
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View from the VIF:
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End of replays. Back to coast phase coverage, MET + 1600sec. All nominal.
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https://twitter.com/NASA/status/402510039543324672
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orbit now 176 X 86 nm Is it really pointing retrograde as indicated in the display? Is that for thermal conditioning?
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T+1900sec. No change from previous reports.
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orbit now 176 X 86 nm Is it really pointing retrograde as indicated in the display? Is that for thermal conditioning?
Nah.. the PTC roll is about the longitudinal axis. Angular velocity vector for a positive roll rate points from engines to S/C. I don't know about the pitch and yaw angles though.
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orbit now 176 X 86 nm Is it really pointing retrograde as indicated in the display? Is that for thermal conditioning?
I'm not watching the stream, but if the vehicle is in an inertially-stable attitude, what is "retrograde" now would be prograde once it's halfway round its orbit.
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Vehicle turning to MES-2 attitude.
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orbit now 176 X 86 nm Is it really pointing retrograde as indicated in the display? Is that for thermal conditioning?
I'm not watching the stream, but if the vehicle is in an inertially-stable attitude, what is "retrograde" now would be prograde once it's halfway round its orbit.
bad choice of words, how about backwards ;D
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bad choice of words, how about backwards ;D
LOL. That works for me.
Anyway, thanks to all for the continuing live coverage, all. Stuck at work with crappy bandwidth makes streaming an unlikely proposition.
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Passed through perigee, already ascending again, PTC despinning in progress.
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So who on the ground will be spotting the engine plume for MECO-2? That is, which country is about to have a 'UFO flap'?? Australia again?
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2 min to second burn. It's pointing forwards again in preparation for the second burn.
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Tank pressures rising ahead of MES-2.
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MES-2! This is a 5 and a half minute burn.
Boy, that apogee really took off!
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Haha.. back to the "proper" attitude. :D
Pre MES sequence started with RCS burning at a 100% duty cycle for prop settling. Tank pressures increasing prior to MES-2
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Second burn underway.
Five and a half minute burn.
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Second engine start, everything looks good.
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Burning off hydrazine to maximize performance while in the second Centaur burn.
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Ignition. Transient being nulled out.
Closed loop control.
Correcting out a bit of LOX bias.
Executing hydrazine burn-off to maximise vehicle performance.
All nominal
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The inclination is increasing. Now 27.3 deg.
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Apogee climbing beyond GEO altitude.
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That rate of climb is impressive.
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MECO-2!
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Escape velocity achieved!
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MECO-2
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Apogee skyrocketed and has now gone negative. Presumably we've reached escape velocity.
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MECO-2.
End of powered flight for Centaur.
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Reorienting vehicle for S/C sep.
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Apogee skyrocketed and has now gone negative. Presumably we've reached escape velocity.
Is that what happens when it reaches escape velocity?
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Venting LH2 tank.
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did I hear the burn went 4 seconds long?
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Good so far...
A question re: Centaur - Does it not gimbal? I'm always surprised by the large # of RCS firings during Centaur burns.
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Attitude for S/C Sep.
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did I hear the burn went 4 seconds long?
Yes heard that as well.
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3 min to s/c sep
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did I hear the burn went 4 seconds long?
Nah..the shutdown took 4 seconds.
EDIT: Ok, that's what it looked like from the graphics.
RCS at 50% duty cycle.
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did I hear the burn went 4 seconds long?
Nah..the shutdown took 4 seconds.
Now venting the Hydrogen tank, pressures dropping.
RCS at 50% duty cycle.
Thanks for the clarification.
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You can see it's leaving Earth behind even in the CGI video.
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1 min to s/c sep
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60 seconds to go!
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and we have separation!!
Congrats ULA!! Great job.
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Spacecraft separation! Congratulations Atlas, MAVEN, and all involved! We're off to Mars!
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Body rates nulled out at 0
Attitude for sep achieved.
I smiled at the CGI orbital sunrise.
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Payload sep, we're on our way to Mars!
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S/C Sep!!
Congrats to all involved!
So incredibly smooth.
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no rocketcams :'(
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commentary concluding
LD to be on shortly
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That's that, plenty of handshakes all round.
Congratulations to all involved.
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William's article, updated post launch:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/11/atlasv-launch-maven-mars-mission/
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Congrats to all, again. Thanks for everyone chipping in on the live coverage! See you guys next time. :)
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post launch presser at 4 pm
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Good so far...
A question re: Centaur - Does it not gimbal? I'm always surprised by the large # of RCS firings during Centaur burns.
it does gimbal, firings are for roll and minor tweaks. Also, there is burn off of the margin, which helps with performance.
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Thanks, Jim.
Nice job ULA, making it look easy as usual! :)
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Good so far...
A question re: Centaur - Does it not gimbal? I'm always surprised by the large # of RCS firings during Centaur burns.
it does gimbal, firings are for roll and minor tweaks. Also, there is burn off of the margin, which helps with performance.
Jim, doesn't it also help force the cryogenic propellant toward the bottom of their tanks? I thought prop settling referred to that
And we're not going ot have solar array deployment confirmation / comms confirmation until 4 pm EST?
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Good deal! So what happens to the Centaur? Perhaps related, why the nearly 6 minute delay between Rl-10 burn number 2 and spacecraft sep?
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Apogee skyrocketed and has now gone negative. Presumably we've reached escape velocity.
Is that what happens when it reaches escape velocity?
The display showed negative the radius of the earth in nautical miles, so apparently when you reach escape velocity, it just uses the center of the earth instead of messing with infinities.
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On to Mars! Congrats and well done!! :) Thanks for the great coverage NSF as usual. ;)
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Exact launch time... 1828:00.267UTC.
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Good so far...
A question re: Centaur - Does it not gimbal? I'm always surprised by the large # of RCS firings during Centaur burns.
it does gimbal, firings are for roll and minor tweaks. Also, there is burn off of the margin, which helps with performance.
An unrelated Atlas question: what determines the point when the booster goes to closed loop propellant utilization control? This launch seemed to show a PU shift (exhaust getting more "flamey") very shortly after clearing the towers, usually it seems to happen closer to going supersonic.
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Apogee skyrocketed and has now gone negative. Presumably we've reached escape velocity.
Is that what happens when it reaches escape velocity?
The display showed negative the radius of the earth in nautical miles, so apparently when you reach escape velocity, it just uses the center of the earth instead of messing with infinities.
No - it's a formal definition of the apogee for hyperbolic orbits.
The semi-major axis, a, is equal to (apogee+perigee)/2 + radius of earth for a bound orbit.
For a hyperbolic orbit it is still well defined, and negative (passes through infinity and then comes down from minus
infinity, so an orbit with a= -100000 is LESS hyperbolic than one with a = -1000
Then our formal definition of perigee still works:
perigee = a(1-e) - R(Earth) (e is the eccentricity, now > 1) is still the actual perigee height
so if we do the same for apogee
apogee = a(1+e)- R(Earth)
we get a negative number that is fairly devoid of physical interpretation but still useful to have, since
we can plug in the usual formulae to recover a, e, etc.
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What a great launch! Have a safe trip to Mars, MAVEN!
https://twitter.com/MAVEN2Mars/status/402518142582153216/photo/1
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The display showed negative the radius of the earth in nautical miles, so apparently when you reach escape velocity, it just uses the center of the earth instead of messing with infinities.
The value to start watching at that point (or before) is eccentricity, which is passing through 1.0, as opposed to apogee which is passing through infinity.
So what happens to the Centaur?
It's on a heliocentric trajectory that will miss Mars. Maven will perform trajectory corrections to get "on target."
So incredibly smooth.
Almost like they really know what they're doing. ;)
Congratulations to all involved!
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That was great. Congratulations to ULA and another successful Atlas launch!
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Jim, doesn't it also help force the cryogenic propellant toward the bottom of their tanks? I thought prop settling referred to that
I think he was referring RCS firings during main engine burn vs the prop settling burns
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DSN has acquisition (Canberra)
https://twitter.com/tweetsoutloud/status/402520707608756224 (https://twitter.com/tweetsoutloud/status/402520707608756224)
Just found series of updates over at: https://twitter.com/NASA_LSP (https://twitter.com/NASA_LSP)
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The display showed negative the radius of the earth in nautical miles, so apparently when you reach escape velocity, it just uses the center of the earth instead of messing with infinities.
The value to start watching at that point (or before) is eccentricity, which is passing through 1.0, as opposed to apogee which is passing through infinity.
So what happens to the Centaur?
It's on a heliocentric trajectory that will miss Mars. Maven will perform trajectory corrections to get "on target."
So incredibly smooth.
Almost like they really know what they're doing. ;)
Congratulations to all involved!
Will all these stages in Heliocentric orbit just keep going on & on unless they hit something in the meantime?
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97.5%
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Perhaps related, why the nearly 6 minute delay between Rl-10 burn number 2 and spacecraft sep?
To let the stage settled down and to get into the proper attitude.
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Jim, doesn't it also help force the cryogenic propellant toward the bottom of their tanks? I thought prop settling referred to that
I think he was referring RCS firings during main engine burn vs the pro settling burns
Yes I was - thanks for the answer.
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BBC News article.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24962919
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did I hear the burn went 4 seconds long?
Yes heard that as well.
Not too big of a deal as long as the target injection was met. Less of a deal if it was just a thrust problem with good Isp (low flow, minor gravity losses). More of a deal if the Isp was low as that means propellant reserves were eaten into.
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Will all these stages in Heliocentric orbit just keep going on & on unless they hit something in the meantime?
yep
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NASA_LSP @NASA_LSP 18s
Spacecraft batteries are charging #MAVEN (NASA Integration Engineer reported to NASA Chief Engineer)
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Will all these stages in Heliocentric orbit just keep going on & on unless they hit something in the meantime?
yep
Is it possible to track them, I just wondered if there was any science to be had from studying the stages in this kind of orbit?
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did I hear the burn went 4 seconds long?
Yes heard that as well.
Not too big of a deal as long as the target injection was met. Less of a deal if it was just a thrust problem with good Isp (low flow, minor gravity losses). More of a deal if the Isp was low as that means propellant reserves were eaten into.
There was mention early in the second burn of a mixture issue (O2 I think) which was corrected so maybe there was a performance loss that had to be made up?
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NASA_LSP @NASA_LSP 14s
#MAVEN reports a good solar array deploy
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Charlie Bolden congratulating the team on the NASA TV feed
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Is it possible to track them, I just wondered if there was any science to be had from studying the stages in this kind of orbit?
Higher albedo, as well as closer than the Asteroid belt. So, yeah, I'd assume you can track them. (Might be too small though) qualify as NEOs. Science? There's always something :)
Bolden on the loop?! :D Talking to the FICRs
Complimenting the team for being on team and on schedule, and saying that they've set a standard for future missions to imitate.
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Where can I find the initial ground track that shows where over the ground the Centaur-2 burn occurred? I do want to get ahead of youtube UFO reports.
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Where can I find the initial ground track that shows where over the ground the Centaur-2 burn occurred? I do want to get ahead of youtube UFO reports.
It can be found on page 13 in the ULA mission booklet (only until s/c sep):
http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/docs/missionbooklets/AV/av_maven_mob.pdf (http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/docs/missionbooklets/AV/av_maven_mob.pdf)
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Or as a JPG on this page: http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av038/groundtrack.html
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MAVEN Launch
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8596
MAVEN Launch Replays
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8597
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Is it possible to track them, I just wondered if there was any science to be had from studying the stages in this kind of orbit?
Only with telescopes, but they have to be found first
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Is it possible to track them, I just wondered if there was any science to be had from studying the stages in this kind of orbit?
Only with telescopes, but they have to be found first
Would it be worth doing science wise?
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Is it possible to track them, I just wondered if there was any science to be had from studying the stages in this kind of orbit?
Only with telescopes, but they have to be found first
Would it be worth doing science wise?
It might be useful to know their accurate orbits over time to avoid them being confused with NEO's. This almost happened with an active spacecraft-Rosetta-and with an SIVB stage from Apollo.
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News Release Issued: Nov 18, 2013 (3:20pm EST)
ATK Supports Launch of United Launch Alliance's Atlas V
ATK Composite and Propulsion Technologies Help Launch MAVEN Spacecraft
ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- ATK (NYSE: ATK) provided critical hardware for the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V vehicle that launched a first-of-its-kind spacecraft today from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Now on its way to Mars, NASA's MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) spacecraft will survey the upper atmosphere of the red planet to help scientists understand how the loss of atmospheric gas over time has changed the Martian climate. Lockheed Martin Space Systems (NYSE:LMT) designed and built the MAVEN spacecraft for NASA.
"ATK is proud to support ULA in another successful launch of an Atlas V using our highly engineered composite products," said Joy de Lisser, vice president and general manager of ATK's Aerospace Structures division. "We are continually investing in technology and new product development to meet the emerging needs of our customers."
For the ULA Atlas V rocket, ATK produced the 10-foot diameter composite heat shield, which provides essential protection for the first stage of the launch vehicle. The assembly was fabricated using advanced fiber placement manufacturing techniques at ATK's Iuka, Miss., facility.
The Atlas V rocket flew in the 401 vehicle configuration with a 4-meter fairing. This is the 41st Atlas V launch using ATK-built composite structures.
This flight also marked the sixth successful flight of the ATK retro motors. Eight of these solid motors supported separation of the spent first stage. The Atlas retrorocket is built at ATK's Missile Defense and Controls facility in Elkton, Md.
Additionally, ATK manufactured the fuel and pressurant tanks for the MAVEN spacecraft as well as the reaction control system propellant tank for the Atlas V at its facility in Commerce, Calif.
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Press conference coming up shortly.
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Is it possible to track them, I just wondered if there was any science to be had from studying the stages in this kind of orbit?
Only with telescopes, but they have to be found first
Would it be worth doing science wise?
It might be useful to know their accurate orbits over time to avoid them being confused with NEO's. This almost happened with an active spacecraft-Rosetta-and with an SIVB stage from Apollo.
I hadn't heard of that before and it does sound a good reason to keep track of them.
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I hadn't heard of that before and it does sound a good reason to keep track of them.
No, they are few and far between and not worth the effort.
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MAVEN Post-Launch Press Conference
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8599
MAVEN Launch T-25 min
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8598
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This launch puts the Atlas V LV on par with Soyuz LV for reliability at 97.5%, no bad although Soyuz has almost a thousand launches under its belt.
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Lockheed Martin-Built MAVEN Launches To Mars
Date: 18-Nov-2013 4:17 PM
NASA Spacecraft Will Study Planet's Upper Atmosphere
CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla., Nov. 18, 2013 - NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft, built by Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT], was successfully launched today at 1:28 pm ET from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V-401 rocket. The spacecraft has departed Earth and is now on its way to Mars, where it will study the planet's upper atmosphere.
MAVEN separated from the rocket's Centaur upper stage 53 minutes after launch. Soon after, it deployed its two solar arrays and started producing power. Initial communication with the spacecraft was then obtained by the mission's Flight Operations team at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company's facility near Denver.
"Early telemetry from the spacecraft indicates that all major subsystems are healthy," said Guy Beutelschies, MAVEN spacecraft program manager at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. "Launch, separation from the rocket, solar array deployment and initial acquisition are the first critical events of the mission, and they couldn't have gone smoother. Our team is thrilled that we're on our way to Mars to help NASA better understand that planet."
The MAVEN spacecraft will perform the first dedicated mission to survey the upper atmosphere of Mars. The mission is seeking to understand how the loss of atmospheric gas to space changed the Martian climate. Scheduled to arrive at Mars on Sept. 22, 2014, the spacecraft will spend one year performing its primary science mission.
"Today's exciting and successful launch highlights the tireless efforts of the entire MAVEN team across many organizations," said Jim Crocker, vice president and general manager of Civil Space at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. "MAVEN draws from a long successful history of previous Lockheed Martin-built Mars orbiters and planetary spacecraft, and our team is pleased to help NASA send another spacecraft to the Red Planet."
At the launch, Lockheed Martin hosted 20 teachers from the University of Central Florida's Academy of Mathematics and Science masters programs. The teachers saw first-hand the real-world applications of the math and science involved in building and launching a spacecraft. This effort and other teacher professional development opportunities supported by NASA and Lockheed Martin are focused on helping teachers inspire and encourage student interest in math and science when the teachers return to the classroom.
MAVEN's principal investigator is based at CU/LASP. The university provided science instruments and leads science operations, as well as education and public outreach, for the mission. Goddard manages the project and provided two of the science instruments for the mission. Lockheed Martin built the spacecraft and is responsible for mission operations. The University of California at Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory provided science instruments for the mission. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., provides navigation support, Deep Space Network support, and Electra telecommunications relay hardware and operations.
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RELEASE 13-342
NASA Launches Mission to Study Upper Atmosphere of Mars
A NASA mission that will investigate how Mars lost its atmosphere and abundant liquid water launched into space at 1:28 p.m. EST Monday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
The agency's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft separated from an Atlas V Centaur rocket's second stage 53 minutes after launch. The solar arrays deployed approximately one hour after launch and currently power the spacecraft. MAVEN now is embarking on a 10-month interplanetary cruise before arriving at Mars next September.
"MAVEN joins our orbiters and rovers already at Mars to explore yet another facet of the Red Planet and prepare for human missions there by the 2030s," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said. "This mission is part of an integrated and strategic exploration program that is uncovering the mysteries of the solar system and enabling us to reach farther destinations."
In the next four weeks, MAVEN will power on and check out each of its eight instruments. Upon arrival at Mars in September, the spacecraft will execute an orbit insertion maneuver, firing six thrusters that will allow it to be captured by Mars' orbit. In the following five weeks, MAVEN will establish itself in an orbit where it can conduct science operations, deploy science appendages, and commission all instruments before starting its one-Earth-year scientific primary mission.
"After 10 years of developing the mission concept and then the hardware, it's incredibly exciting to see MAVEN on its way," said Bruce Jakosky, principal investigator at the University of Colorado Boulder's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (CU/LASP) in Boulder, Colo. "But the real excitement will come in 10 months, when we go into orbit around Mars and can start getting the science results we planned."
MAVEN is traveling to Mars to explore how the Red Planet may have lost its atmosphere over billions of years. By analyzing the planet's upper atmosphere and measuring current rates of atmospheric loss, MAVEN scientists hope to understand how Mars transitioned from a warm, wet planet to the dry desert world we see today.
"The team overcame every challenge it encountered and still kept MAVEN on schedule and on budget," said David Mitchell, MAVEN project manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "The government, industry and university partnership was determined and focused to return to Mars sooner, not later."
MAVEN's principal investigator is based at CU/LASP. The university provided science instruments and leads science operations, as well as education and public outreach, for the mission. Goddard manages the project and provided two of the science instruments for the mission. Lockheed Martin built the spacecraft and is responsible for mission operations. The University of California at Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory provided science instruments for the mission. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., provides navigation support, Deep Space Network support, and Electra telecommunications relay hardware and operations.
For more information about the MAVEN mission, visit NASA's mission website:
http://www.nasa.gov/maven
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They make it look easy... great launch.
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I hadn't heard of that before and it does sound a good reason to keep track of them.
No, they are few and far between and not worth the effort.
Disagree somewhat. We'll want to know someday. I'm doing my best to collect 'last known state vectors', so that when we
mistakenly recatalog them as NEOs, we can work the new good orbits back in time to check for consistency - we've managed to do this a few times.
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I hadn't heard of that before and it does sound a good reason to keep track of them.
No, they are few and far between and not worth the effort.
Disagree somewhat. We'll want to know someday. I'm doing my best to collect 'last known state vectors', so that when we
mistakenly recatalog them as NEOs, we can work the new good orbits back in time to check for consistency - we've managed to do this a few times.
I meant there is no active tracking
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did I hear the burn went 4 seconds long?
Yes heard that as well.
Not too big of a deal as long as the target injection was met. Less of a deal if it was just a thrust problem with good Isp (low flow, minor gravity losses). More of a deal if the Isp was low as that means propellant reserves were eaten into.
There was mention early in the second burn of a mixture issue (O2 I think) which was corrected so maybe there was a performance loss that had to be made up?
That is normal - the Centaur actively controls the mixture ratio to correct out the "mass error" (which, I believe, is what he said). This is a capability that has existed on Centaur since the 1960s. (see http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19680027035_1968027035.pdf (http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19680027035_1968027035.pdf))
From the Atlas V User's Guide:
The Centaur Propellant Utilization (PU) system ensures that an optimum mixture of LH2
and LO2 residuals remain in the Centaur propellant tanks at the end of the mission. The PU system continuously
measures the mass of the remaining propellants using three redundant externally mounted differential pressure
transducers, which are connected to each of the LH2 and LO2 tanks to measure propellant head pressure. FTINU
software converts this head pressure to mass and calculates the sensed mass imbalance between the two tanks.
The FTINU, through the URCU, then commands the redundant RL10 engine oxygen flow control valve actuator to
correct the sensed error by changing the engine mixture ratio.
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Where can I find the initial ground track that shows where over the ground the Centaur-2 burn occurred? I do want to get ahead of youtube UFO reports.
May be this one ?
I want to take the comet ISON photos, but for naked eye object only I can watched this ;D
Shooting time is 20:0700 UTC (I can watched this object untill 20:1104)
Exposure time: 25seconds
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Where can I find the initial ground track that shows where over the ground the Centaur-2 burn occurred? I do want to get ahead of youtube UFO reports.
May be this one ?
I want to take the comet ISON photos, but for naked eye object only I can watched this ;D
Shooting time is 20:07 UTC (I can watched this object untill 20:11)
Can you give your viewing location and the approximate location in the sky of the object you have imaged?
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I hadn't heard of that before and it does sound a good reason to keep track of them.
No, they are few and far between and not worth the effort.
Disagree somewhat. We'll want to know someday. I'm doing my best to collect 'last known state vectors', so that when we
mistakenly recatalog them as NEOs, we can work the new good orbits back in time to check for consistency - we've managed to do this a few times.
I meant there is no active tracking
Oh, right. Well, there is the Minor Planet Center's DASO page where they collect astronomical observations of deep space artificial objects (mostly in very high Earth orbit but some in helio). But there is no funded, comprehensive, government program to do so, that is quite true.
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Where can I find the initial ground track that shows where over the ground the Centaur-2 burn occurred? I do want to get ahead of youtube UFO reports.
May be this one ?
I want to take the comet ISON photos, but for naked eye object only I can watched this ;D
Shooting time is 20:07 UTC (I can watched this object untill 20:11)
Can you give your viewing location and the approximate location in the sky of the object you have imaged?
Viewing location: Lat. 35.95 Long. 139.99
Approximate location in the sky : Near the Crater and lower of the Hydra.
The camera clock was 7 minutes fast. So, 20:00 UTC till 20:04 UTC is correct.
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It's packed house here at the visitor center viewing location.
This is, what, about 6 miles away? One thing the regulars don't point out all that much is the sound. We were all that distance away, sitting on the asphalt parking lot, and the Atlas shook the ground even from there. The feeling is similar to listening to a good recording of a shuttle launch while sitting on my subwoofer. It's a deep, throaty rumble punctuated by that classic high-pitched popping.
It was great to see my second launch (first was STS-45) in person, and to share it with my family. Nicely done ULA and MAVEN team!
P.S. The Atlants exhibit was amazing!
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJR8jhZFyeg
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My congratulations :) !!
http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/News.shtml#/158/
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It's packed house here at the visitor center viewing location.
This is, what, about 6 miles away? One thing the regulars don't point out all that much is the sound. We were all that distance away, sitting on the asphalt parking lot, and the Atlas shook the ground even from there. The feeling is similar to listening to a good recording of a shuttle launch while sitting on my subwoofer. It's a deep, throaty rumble punctuated by that classic high-pitched popping.
It was great to see my second launch (first was STS-45) in person, and to share it with my family. Nicely done ULA and MAVEN team!
P.S. The Atlas exhibit was amazing!
Sounds like you had a great time Lee Jay! :) You sit on your subwoofer alot? :D You're right, can't beat the sound of a launch in person! 8)
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The Atlas exhibit was amazing!
Huh? What? At the KSC Visitors Center? Is that exhibit still going to be up when I'm there at KSC a week from today?
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Taken about 30 min before launch by me 8)
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Awesome! One aspect that I'm interested in is the greater quantification of atmospheric phenomenon. Ties into many realms. Including applicable stuff like EDL for future landers.
Just in case I missed it, is there a video or series of snapshots of the Earth shrinking away?
Not that I'd watch it in the dark and crank up "Ground Control to Major Tom" with some scotch and a few friends. No promises though. ;)
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Can you give your viewing location and the approximate location in the sky of the object you have imaged?
Viewing location: Lat. 35.95 Long. 139.99
Approximate location in the sky : Near the Crater and lower of the Hydra.
The camera clock was 7 minutes fast. So, 20:00 UTC till 20:04 UTC is correct.
Is this S latitude, I presume? What did the object look like? What was direction and rate of motion across the sky?
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Can you give your viewing location and the approximate location in the sky of the object you have imaged?
Viewing location: Lat. 35.95 Long. 139.99
Approximate location in the sky : Near the Crater and lower of the Hydra.
The camera clock was 7 minutes fast. So, 20:00 UTC till 20:04 UTC is correct.
Is this S latitude, I presume? What did the object look like? What was direction and rate of motion across the sky?
He's in Japan, so N latitude I believe. By then the Centaur should be visible from much across the globe.
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Was slightly surprised this launch didn't seem to have any rocketcam onboard, cost saving?
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Is this S latitude, I presume? What did the object look like? What was direction and rate of motion across the sky?
Many observation report is comming in Japan.
Here is photo report.
http://www.astroarts.jp/photo-gallery/special/251
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Centaur questions:
1. If I heard launch commentary correctly, the Centaur vented (to minimise chances of pressure failure?) some residual Hydrogen and Oxygen (I assume this is prop margin), after the second MECO. Why didn't they burn all of this in the RL-10 instead? Especially when they went so far as to execute RCS hydrazine burn off to maximise performance?
Combustion stability issues and thrust vector indeterminacy, for low flow rates, and for gaseous feed as opposed to cryogenic propellant feed? Or would it have actually imparted too MUCH velocity to the S/C requiring it to expend more fuel for braking and Mars orbit capture?
2. Didn't find anything in the ULA Atlas V MAVEN launch brochure about that interesting pitch manoeuvre (not the PTC roll) the Centaur executed during the coast phase. Was it done to orient the stage to point its transmitters toward the nearest TDRS?
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The Atlas exhibit was amazing!
Huh? What? At the KSC Visitors Center? Is that exhibit still going to be up when I'm there at KSC a week from today?
Meant Atlantis.
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1. If I heard launch commentary correctly, the Centaur vented (to minimise chances of pressure failure?) some residual Hydrogen and Oxygen (I assume this is prop margin), after the second MECO. Why didn't they burn all of this in the RL-10 instead? Especially when they went so far as to execute RCS hydrazine burn off to maximise performance?
Combustion stability issues and thrust vector indeterminacy, for low flow rates, and for gaseous feed as opposed to cryogenic propellant feed? Or would it have actually imparted too MUCH velocity to the S/C requiring it to expend more fuel for braking and Mars orbit capture?
Interplanetary trajectories have to be fairly precise, you want to get to a specific point in space at a specific time or the planet you are aiming for is not going to be there. Any deviations from this trajectory (faster, slower, wrong time or direction) will only mean that you will have to do larger course corrections, and if you off by too much you will not be able to compensate...
Since you always want some margin in your burns (in case of underperformance) you will have some propellant left if everything goes as planned.
As to using the RCS thrusters: Somebody who actually knows why might correct me, but I would guess that they reach a point where they know they have more hydrazine left than they need, and using it increases the margin for the main engine?
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Centaur questions:
1. If I heard launch commentary correctly, the Centaur vented (to minimise chances of pressure failure?) some residual Hydrogen and Oxygen (I assume this is prop margin), after the second MECO. Why didn't they burn all of this in the RL-10 instead? Especially when they went so far as to execute RCS hydrazine burn off to maximise performance?
Combustion stability issues and thrust vector indeterminacy, for low flow rates, and for gaseous feed as opposed to cryogenic propellant feed? Or would it have actually imparted too MUCH velocity to the S/C requiring it to expend more fuel for braking and Mars orbit capture?
2. Didn't find anything in the ULA Atlas V MAVEN launch brochure about that interesting pitch manoeuvre (not the PTC roll) the Centaur executed during the coast phase. Was it done to orient the stage to point its transmitters toward the nearest TDRS?
1. The stage is rendered inert after the mission, all gases and propellants are vented. There are many factors, but there is a specific trajectory and orbit that mission is designed for and that has a specific velocity upon leaving earth orbit. There are slight variations depending on time of launch in the window and which date in the period. The trajectory is basically a Holman transfer orbit, which is the minimum energy required to get to Mars. The mission is designed for the conditions at both ends. For the mass of the this spacecraft, the energy required for launch and injection determined that an Atlas V 401, and the spacecraft propulsion system was designed for arrival conditions. Adding more velocity would not help the mission, and would upset things, like arrival times (Mars might not be there) or braking velocity required (as you point out. All launch vehicles do the venting/inerting after they perform their task. Venting is easier to manage than restarting the enginee.
The hydrazine burnoff increases performance prelaunch. By incorporating burnoff, there is a gain in performance that is accounted for in preflight planning. There is margin in the hydrazine amounts to account for high useage during the first burn and coast. If the extra margin is not use, it used to be the Centaur carried it for the whole mission, and this required used of the main propellants. So now, the missions are planned for where the hydrazine is used, either via high use rates or by burnoff, so that the hydrazine reserve margin is not sent on to the final orbit and there is a little more main propellants (performance) available preflight.
2. The spacecraft does not communicate with TDRSS. The attitude was for thermal conditions and was determined by the sun.
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Just out of curiosity:
Between the two burns during the coasting phase, the spacecraft flew "backwards (engines first)" and turned back into flight position shortly before the second burn.
What was the purpose of that?
Greets, Chris
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Just out of curiosity:
Between the two burns during the coasting phase, the spacecraft flew "backwards (engines first)" and turned back into flight position shortly before the second burn.
What was the purpose of that?
Greets, Chris
Inertia - if a stage flies "forwards" at perigee, it will fly "backwards" at apogee and vice versa.
You can correct the attitude all the time in small steps or just do a big flip just before the burn.
As Jim just posted, it was thermal reasons.
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It's packed house here at the visitor center viewing location.
Visitor center viewing location, tight crop from 400mm, and 185mm just to give more of an idea how far away we were.
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Sorry for my English! Has anyone got the parameters of MAVEN's heliocentric orbit and Centaur's heliocentric orbit?
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I think they are on JPL Horizons.
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Forgive me if this was asked somewhere already: the usual time between minimum energy Mars windows is 26 months. Curiosity launched less than 24 months before Maven. What was different about this window?
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I'd guess that was due to very few missions actually flying a true Hohmann transfer, but above all a variation due to substantial eccentricity of Mars' orbit.