|
| S P E C I A L | D E S T I N A T I O N M A R S |
Mars Global Surveyor arrives at red planet
Maneuver into orbit 'just perfect'
September 11, 1997
Web posted at: 11:35 p.m. EDT (0335 GMT)PASADENA, California (CNN) -- For the second time this year, an American spacecraft has made a successful rendezvous with Mars, continuing mankind's quest to unveil some of the age-old mysteries of the red planet.
Mars Global Surveyor, which will orbit the planet for the next two years but not land on its surface, reached the Martian atmosphere at about 9:30 p.m. EDT (0130 GMT).
CNN's John Zarrella reports from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Mars Global Surveyor briefingAfter arrival, the spacecraft's main rocket engine fired for 22 minutes to slow the spacecraft and pull it into an orbit. As expected, the craft lost radio contact with Earth for about 10 minutes during the maneuver, when it passed behind the red planet.
When the radio signal was re-established, a sign that all was well, a cheer went up at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's facility in Denver, Colorado, where the spacecraft team is headquartered, as well as at JPL's headquarters in Pasadena.
"Just perfect. Two for two," said Donna Shirley, Mars exploration manager, referring also to this summer's successful landing on Mars by NASA's Pathfinder craft. "The (radio) signal is so strong that it is above what was predicted."
The 435 million mile, 10 month journey of Global Surveyor has been likened to tossing a baseball from Pasadena and hitting a specific window at the Empire State building in New York City.
NASA Surveyor Animation
231K/7 sec. QuickTime movie
The spacecraft is now in an elliptical orbit around Mars. It will gradually work its way into a circular orbit, reducing the diameter of its passes over the planet during the course of 400 revolutions.
To get into the circular orbit, which is necessary for the spacecraft to complete its mission, Global Surveyor will utilize a potentially-risky technique called "aerobraking," which will use the friction of Mars' atmosphere to slow it down.
That process may be complicated somewhat by the fact that a piece of metal broke off of the spacecraft when it was launched and got stuck in a hinge on one of the solar panels. However, JPL scientists believe they have found a fix for that problem.
Global Surveyor's mission is to compile global maps of Mars, as well as collecting data on its atmosphere, surface composition, interior and evolution.
Reaction from NASA Mission Control 
610K/55 sec. AIFF or WAV sound Surveyor will help identify the likeliest sites where life might have taken hold on the planet. Those include areas where there once was water, such as lake shores and mineral remains of ancient hot springs.
The mission is the second in a series of Mars expeditions in which NASA will launch pairs of landers and orbiters to Mars every 26 months into the next decade.
Correspondent John Zarrella contributed to this report.
Mars Board | Surveyor | Pathfinder | Future Missions | Interact | Multiplex
- Message Board: Destination Mars
Related stories:
- Mars Surveyor on 'perfect course' to orbit red planet - September 11, 1997
- Mars satellite passes critical point - September 9, 1997
- Global Surveyor prepares to enter Mars atmosphere - September 8, 1997
- Surveyor soars toward red planet - November 7, 1996
Related sites:
Note: Pages will open in a new browser windowExternal sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
Watch these shows on CNN for more sci-tech stories:
CNN Computer Connection | Future Watch | Science & Technology Week
|
Sound off on our message boards You said it... |
|
© 1997 Cable News Network, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.