Phoenix Mars mission passes early tests
Posted: Thu, Sep 6, 2007, 8:25 AM ET (1225 GMT)
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander, launched just over a month ago, has passed a series of in-flight tests, project officials said this week. The spacecraft's landing radar and UHF radio completed a series of check-out tests in late August with no problems reported. The two items are critical for the spacecraft's safe landing: the radar will provide data on the spacecraft's final descent to the surface, while the UHF radio will relay spacecraft data to orbiting Mars spacecraft for transmission to Earth. Spacecraft operators also tested one of the spacecraft's instruments, with the rest to be checked out by mid-October. Phoenix will land on the northern polar plains of Mars on May 25, 2008.
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander, launched just over a month ago, has passed a series of in-flight tests, project officials said this week. The spacecraft's landing radar and UHF radio completed a series of check-out tests in late August with no problems reported. The two items are critical for the spacecraft's safe landing: the radar will provide data on the spacecraft's final descent to the surface, while the UHF radio will relay spacecraft data to orbiting Mars spacecraft for transmission to Earth. Spacecraft operators also tested one of the spacecraft's instruments, with the rest to be checked out by mid-October. Phoenix will land on the northern polar plains of Mars on May 25, 2008.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, March 19
Firefly Aerospace Selected for the 2025 Robert J. Collier Trophy
National Aeronautic Association — 5:22 am ET (0922 GMT) Satellite development begins for EUMETSAT Polar System – Sterna
EUMETSAT — 5:22 am ET (0922 GMT) Minotaur IV rocket motor stacking at Vandenberg's Space Launch Complex-8
US Space Force — 5:20 am ET (0920 GMT) MDA Space awarded contract with Canadian Department of National Defence to deliver Ground-Based Optical Capability for Space Surveillance
MDA — 5:18 am ET (0918 GMT) Rocket Lab wins record contract with US Department of War
Radio New Zealand — 5:17 am ET (0917 GMT) |
