NASA keeps 2009 launch date for MSL
Posted: Sat, Oct 11, 2008, 11:20 AM ET (1520 GMT)
NASA officials said Friday they're still planning to launch the most complex Mars rover ever a year from now despite problems with the spacecraft's development and budget. The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft had been threatened with a delay to 2011 or even cancellation because of growing costs and concerns that the spacecraft might not be ready for launch in the fall of 2009. NASA officials would not say how much the mission, most recently estimated to cost $1.9 billion, would now cost. The development of the spacecraft has been hindered be delays manufacturing actuators used on the spacecraft, as well as software issues. Friday's announcement came after a meeting with the NASA administrator to review the mission's progress; another meeting with the administrator about MSL is scheduled for January.
NASA officials said Friday they're still planning to launch the most complex Mars rover ever a year from now despite problems with the spacecraft's development and budget. The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft had been threatened with a delay to 2011 or even cancellation because of growing costs and concerns that the spacecraft might not be ready for launch in the fall of 2009. NASA officials would not say how much the mission, most recently estimated to cost $1.9 billion, would now cost. The development of the spacecraft has been hindered be delays manufacturing actuators used on the spacecraft, as well as software issues. Friday's announcement came after a meeting with the NASA administrator to review the mission's progress; another meeting with the administrator about MSL is scheduled for January.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Monday, February 2
First launch of Ariane 6 with four boosters
ESA — 6:37 am ET (1137 GMT) Europe’s digital Earth gets ready to grow user community
ESA — 6:37 am ET (1137 GMT) Inside the high-stakes battle over Space Force advocacy
Washington Times — 6:34 am ET (1134 GMT) SpaceX rocket launch planned Monday morning at Vandenberg Space Force Base
KSBY-TV San Luis Obispo, CA — 6:32 am ET (1132 GMT) SpaceX Plans Data Center Satellite Constellation
Aviation Week — 6:30 am ET (1130 GMT) |
