Mars Odyssey ready to go into orbit
Posted: Fri, Oct 19, 2001, 1:02 AM ET (0502 GMT)
NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft is on track to go into orbit around Mars next week, project officials said Thursday. The spacecraft will fire its main engine at 10:26 pm EDT October 23 (0223 GMT October 24) for just under 20 minutes to insert itself into an elliptical orbit around Mars. Mars Odyssey will then spend over two months aerobraking into its final circular orbit, 400 kilometers above Mars, before beginning its science mission in early 2002. The spacecraft completed its final course correction last Friday, tweaking its trajectory slightly to adjust the altitude of the spacecraft when it arrives at Mars by just a few kilometers. Mars Odyssey is the first NASA mission to Mars since the failures of the Mars Climate Orbiter and Mars Polar Lander missions two years ago.
NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft is on track to go into orbit around Mars next week, project officials said Thursday. The spacecraft will fire its main engine at 10:26 pm EDT October 23 (0223 GMT October 24) for just under 20 minutes to insert itself into an elliptical orbit around Mars. Mars Odyssey will then spend over two months aerobraking into its final circular orbit, 400 kilometers above Mars, before beginning its science mission in early 2002. The spacecraft completed its final course correction last Friday, tweaking its trajectory slightly to adjust the altitude of the spacecraft when it arrives at Mars by just a few kilometers. Mars Odyssey is the first NASA mission to Mars since the failures of the Mars Climate Orbiter and Mars Polar Lander missions two years ago.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, February 21
British-backed Smile headed to Europe’s Spaceport
ESA — 10:00 am ET (1500 GMT) ESA to launch Celeste LEO-PNT on March 24
GPS World — 10:00 am ET (1500 GMT) Commercial Space Stations Could Host Simulated Human Mars Trip
Aviation Week — 9:54 am ET (1454 GMT) NASA's Artemis II mission set to send humans beyond the Moon in March. Here's what you need to know
Australian Broadcasting Corporation — 9:52 am ET (1452 GMT) NASA boss blasts Boeing and agency over bungled test flight that left astronauts stranded on space station
Australian Broadcasting Corporation — 9:52 am ET (1452 GMT) |
