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Posted by: BruceMoomaw Feb 25 2006, 03:43 AM

...which, unfortunately, I don't have a subscription to. Does anyone else?

(1) "NASA to release next Mars Scout announcement of opportunity in April"

(2) "NASA studying new hybrid Mars orbiter for 2013 launch"

Posted by: The Messenger Feb 25 2006, 05:28 AM

The first article just says that there will be a press release/conference Tuesday. I'm sorry, but I did not notice the second article, and I don't have access from this server.

Posted by: Phil Stooke Feb 28 2006, 04:49 AM

Bruce - when I looked at this issue through our library electronic subscription, the second article did not show up. I'll look for it in the next few issues.

Phil

Posted by: Stephen Feb 28 2006, 09:49 AM

The link for the second article is further down. I don't have access either. However, I did some checking on the WWW and it seems to me the latter (especially given the word "hybrid") may be referring to the "2011/2013 Mars Science and Telecommunications Orbiter". A report from the "MEPAG Science Analysis Group focusing on defining key investigations" is on the agenda for a MEPAG meeting this coming April (according to the following press release):

http://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov/Mars_Community/index.html

======
Stephen

Posted by: BruceMoomaw Mar 1 2006, 07:25 AM

Thanks for the tip. I pretty much assumed that that was what Aerospace Daily was talking about (although I wasn't and still am not entirely sure what they meant by "hybrid"). I was hoping they'd provide a bit more technical detail as to what the satellite may be like (and, indeed, just what its science goals will be -- the assumption at this point seems to be that they'll be atmosphere-oriented, but it's not certain).

Posted by: AlexBlackwell Mar 2 2006, 10:53 PM

Yes, JPL is in the process of developing the MSTO concept. In fact, I've been communicating with one of the key mission designers, who also worked on the now-defunct MTO.