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Why was MER-B launched on Delta 2 Heavy? |
 Sep 2 2006, 03:07 PM
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Member  Group: Members Posts: 147 Joined: 14-April 06 From: Berlin Member No.: 744  |
Another one emerging from the vast Planetary Radio archives. Emily in her inpersonation of Sandy Moondust sitting on MER-B before launch (check the Astrobots project if unfamiliar with that
 ) said that it was to be launched on a heavier vehicle than MER-A, namely Delta 2 heavy with strap-ons 6" thicker than a regular Delta 2. Why is that so? Why launch two identical rovers on two different rockets? And - was it also the case with the Viking and Voyager pairs?
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Sep 2 2006, 05:26 PM
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 Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3419 Joined: 9-February 04 From: Minneapolis, MN, USA Member No.: 15 |
I seem to recall that there was considerable pressure to get Oppy off on the night she actually launched -- the speculation was that if she didn't get off that night, she might not be able to launch at all. Perhaps there was a weather system approaching that made the last week of the launch window look iffy? All I recall for certain is that the press was speculating in a "now or never" vein...
-the other Doug -------------------- “The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.” -Mark Twain
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Sep 3 2006, 09:49 AM
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 Member Group: Members Posts: 321 Joined: 6-April 06 From: Cape Canaveral Member No.: 734 |
QUOTE (dvandorn @ Sep 2 2006, 01:26 PM)  I seem to recall that there was considerable pressure to get Oppy off on the night she actually launched -- the speculation was that if she didn't get off that night, she might not be able to launch at all. Perhaps there was a weather system approaching that made the last week of the launch window look iffy? All I recall for certain is that the press was speculating in a "now or never" vein... -the other Doug It wasn't quite that bad. But every day that MER A didn't launch, meant that MER B was delayed a day. There was a 10 day minimum interval between the missions. MERB couldn't be at the pad while MER A launched. PS. Just a little info, I was the NASA LV integration engineer for both missions |
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karolp Why was MER-B launched on Delta 2 Heavy? Sep 2 2006, 03:07 PM
mcaplinger QUOTE (karolp @ Sep 2 2006, 08:07 AM) Why... Sep 2 2006, 03:54 PM
Jim from NSF.com QUOTE (mcaplinger @ Sep 2 2006, 11:54 AM)... Sep 3 2006, 09:40 AM dvandorn IIRC, they had to launch the Deltas from the same ... Sep 2 2006, 03:55 PM mcaplinger QUOTE (dvandorn @ Sep 2 2006, 08:55 AM) I... Sep 2 2006, 04:43 PM Jim from NSF.com QUOTE (dvandorn @ Sep 2 2006, 11:55 AM) T... Sep 3 2006, 09:45 AM dvandorn OK, kewl. I know that Oppy got off literally at t... Sep 2 2006, 05:08 PM djellison Not really the end of its window. July 8th on a ... Sep 2 2006, 05:13 PM Jim from NSF.com The cork didn't come off, since none was seen ... Sep 3 2006, 09:32 AM djellison And hence why all Opportunitys images have a 1 ser... Sep 3 2006, 09:38 AM |
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