The view from the High Bay viewing gallery this morning.
Ha!
There are some new pictures in KSC gallery:
Installation of ejectable* ballast masses.
Spin test
*@Oersted yes my mistake
Thx for the pics!
Love that Spin Test photo, seems like those engineers have thoughts for hitching a lift
Looks more like those engineers are taking a break and watching a movie off-screen or something
MSL & Descent stage both arrived at Florida:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2011-191
Photos:
http://yfrog.com/kk21rrmj
http://yfrog.com/kk2kbrj
-Descent stage
-MSL
The USAF C-17: When it absolutely, positively, has to meet a launch date....
So a lowly fork lift was the first stage of this space mission...
We do all tend to forget the critical importance of logistics. Not glamorous, of course, but BEYOND vital.
Unpacking descent stage @ KSC:
More: http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/search.cfm?cat=4
KrisK - there's no need to embed the images inline in the thread. Moreover, your link is to the hot-images catagory at KSC, so those images wont be in it in a day or three.
Far better to link the image info pages, so as to retain access to the higher resolution images and the appropriate credit and description..i.e.
http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/detail.cfm?mediaid=54061
I have few of questions about the desent stage thrusters.
Are all 8 used in the landing ?
Why are the thrusters in each pair pointing in different directions ?
What happens if the thrust is not enough ?
Thanks.
Also I read the thrusters run at 107 %, which seems an odd figure to me.
Yes
For stability
Lithobraking
100% is the original engine rating. 107% represents a 7% performance increase over the original design spec.
I assume safe landing could be made with less than 100 % thrust, and any extra needed then would be available ?
It was a wrong assumption by me the thrusters would be running full tilt all the time.
How could that possibly work anyway - the vehicle is always getting lighter and needs to come to a near hover for the sky-crane phase.
Even Phoenix, which had constant thrust engines, pulsed them to manage the total 'thrust' provided.
Mars Science Laboratory's page is slightly changed. Changes are not great, but quite important.
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/
If anyone did not noticed, here is the most important fragment of new page.
The first and Centaur stages of the Atlas-V rocket (to be used for the MSL launch) have arrived at KSC.
Pictures available at the KSC gallery page http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/
Just got to see and stand near MSL's engineering model at JPL and it is AWESOME! Beast of a thing.
Was interesting to find out that it's actually run off the batteries the whole time and the RTG just keeps the battery fully charged. Tour was by Scott Maxwell and one of the project scientists...the scientist said 14-16 years of operations is certainly possible...as is driving OUT of Gale. Now let's just launch and land this thing
Whose was this idea? Somebody we know here?
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=15026.0;attach=321974;image as "Official Unofficial MSL Mascot" at KSC Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility.
Good choice, I love it !
Video of Curiosity flight hardware being prepared for launch at KSC with detailed views of the arm and mobility system: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEhfEZZhKa0
Due to longer tests of EDL phase during August the spacecraft will be encapsulated four days later in October than originally scheduled.
If launch timeline will be affected by that should be clear in 2 weeks.
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1149
Atlas stacking underway: http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av028/110912stacking/index1.html
MSL launch prep page now up on the KSC Media Gallery:
http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/search.cfm?cat=237
Some really detailed photos there; thanks for the heads up. I'm just drooling over those close ups!
Interesting to note that that the two rockets in each pair are not quite pointed in the same direction; I would hazard a guess that the ones pointing slightly more "outward" are the ones used at the end (to minimize the blast effects on any surface dust).
And the wheels are covered in Mylar (or something similar to that) - I can't imagine they will be left like that; surely that must be to keep them as clean as possible until right before final packing up? If the covering is left on then it is bound to be shredded through use on Mars which would be very bad to then have lots of little pieces of insulation floating around.
Airbag
Atlas 5 getting ready: http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av028/status.html
All MSL elements assembly (except MMRTG and some covers) is complete.
Do we know what's on schedule / preparation checklist for following 5 weeks prior to launch?
Thx
...And "The Thinker" from Rodin, meditating on MSL's future success, was there too (upper left corner)
Glad he's wearing a bunny suit over his traditional outfit!
John
Hopefully he's not thinking, "Now where did I leave that wrench?"
....no worries, Jonathon; the tool accountability procedures are undoubtedly VERY strict.
Even on aircraft (which you can actually fix later on, 'cause they come back) they are quite stringent; a lost tool is a BIG deal.
ah, wauw, thanks for the info.
Is the fairing hatch for the MMRTG seen in this view : http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/images/msl20111025_2011-7261-br2.jpg ?
(near top - gap in acoustic panelling)
I think so.
I do not think so.
The fairing hatch for the MMRTG should be the big square panel on the bottom right portion of payload fairing (PLF) on this picture.
I'm guessing the purpose of piping with downward pointing nozzles inside the firing is airconditioning - it should blow cool air onto heat radiators on the rim of cruise stage.
IMHO, this two features should clearly determine the spacecraft position in PLF.
Btw. this is just upper part of the complete PLF.
I gestimate it's the Short version - 13,3 m hight.
The Lower part that covers the Centaur upper stage is 7,4 m high.
All together it will be 20,7 meters long PLF.
MSL payload fairing's got nice NASA & mission logos on Tuesday and has been attached to its Atlas V yesterday morning.
Not sure if this is the best thread to share this info but I'd like to notify that December's issue of SKY & TELESCOPE contains nice Emily's article Face To Face with a Giant about her "close encounter" with Curiosity rover in JPL.
7 pages web preview: http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/newtrack/st_201112/#/22
I was within a couple of miles of the launch complex out at CCAFS this morning. I gave Curiosity a thumbs up, "you go, girl!" on behalf of all of us!
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2011-344b&cid=release_2011-344b
The press conference has apparently been delayed 15 minutes...
That it was 15 mins 'late' was shared via social media and the NASA TV schedule several hours before the press conf.
And here you have the briefing, courtesy of the superb space-multimedia.nl.eu.org-site:
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7197:msl-l-30-launch-status-briefing&catid=1:latest
A question: what is the purpose of the white circumferential panels on the cruise stage?
At which time they will connect the RTGs to the spacecraft ?
Robert
Next week.
Thanks for the info Doug.
Getting ready for launch!
http://youtu.be/vmnzUzxq2n4
MMRTG has been installed yesterday (2011-11-17).
This morning the final power-up has happend and since that moment MSL is on its own power ... and will be till the end of its (her) days.
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av028/111117mmrtg/
"There must have been some magic in that old silk hat they found
For when they placed it on his head, he began to dance around."
Happy Birthday Curiosity!
Very glad that this particular hat is firmly bolted on with closeout inspections.
I am growing quite excited for launch now.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/index.html, to replace suspect battery on Atlas 5 rocket.
Which means (if this launch day sticks) that I may miss some critical post-launch events because I will be attending "Yo Gabba Gabba Live" with my kids...
Glad they caught this fairly early, as such things go. Does anyone know what the function of this particular battery is? IIRC, there is one for utility vehicle DC & one dedicated to the abort/destruct system.
Well, at least my daughter won't be berating me for causing any delay to her Black Friday shopping...
Oh NO!!! I'll be at work! It was *perfect* before!! Change it back! Change it back!!!
It says 'flight termination system battery' on that page so it's probably the latter, nprev.
Ah. Thanks, guys.
For some odd reason that seems to be the one that goes bad most frequently on the Atlas & Delta families. Maybe it's because they don't experience as many charge/discharge cycles during pre-launch testing?
If memory serves (and, knowing me, it probably doesn't) they had to replace a flight termination system battery on the booster for one of the MERs as well.
It could be because the requirements for the FTS system are much more stringent than for other components. Of all the systems and subsystems onboard, that one must be guaranteed to work at all times and in the most severe off-nominal conditions to ensure public safety if anything goes wrong.
Good point, G. There is a fairly significant metropolitan area surrounding the Cape these days, and Vandenberg is a scant 160 km or so from the sprawling LA metro area....25 million people.
Yeah, you're gonna want that battery to work if it's needed.
Question: After browsing through the KSC Multimedia images of MSL, and looking at the images of the MMRTG lifting, I am perplexed as to why the MMRTG is completley exposed to the atmosphere. For cooling I can understand, but how is any earthly or air particulate contamination not of concern? I hope it was wiped down good with isopropyl alcohol just prior to installation with the rover .
The cooling circuit is surely well-insulated. As for the rest: well, added weight is added weight, so there is absolutely no unnecessary shielding on the rovers. Which give them that fantastic home-made look...
Not sure of the methods employed, but I'm certain that they are following the Planetary Protection Protocols (PPP).
Let's give the actual rocket scientists the benefit of the doubt, shall we?
http://planetaryprotection.nasa.gov/methods/
provides a good description of the methods used to reduce spacecraft microbial contamination. Unfortunately/fortunately Pu-238 being an alpha emitter, the MMRTG won't self-sterilize!
Another potential planetary protection "issue" - not ultraclean drill bits, was mentioned http://www.space.com/13783-nasa-msl-curiosity-mars-rover-planetary-protection.html.
Since MSL is not life-detection mission could this be any seriouse problem when rock interior sampling?
No, not at all.
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