Watch the Mars Lander Launch at Home or on a Big Screen
Barring any last-minute problems, a Delta II rocket will carry the Phoenix Mars Lander into Earth orbit early Saturday morning, the first leg of a nine-month voyage to the red planet.
The initial launch window will allow for a 2:26 a.m. Tucson time launch. A second launch opportunity the same day, if needed, will come at 3:03 a.m. Tucson time.
Tucsonans following the launch can watch the Phoenix Mars Mission’s mission countdown clocks and various live views of Phoenix’s Delta II launch vehicle, with nine strap on boosters, on pad 17A at Kennedy Space Center at NASA’s COUNTDOWN PORTAL Web site.
Check to make sure you have the right software to view the video feed from NASA before the launch. There are links to download the free software on the Web site.
The UA and Pima Air & Space Museum, 6000 E. Valencia Road, 6000 E. Valencia Road., are presenting Phoenix Mars Madness to replay the launch on a big screen at the Pima Air & Space Museum from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tucson time on Saturday morning. You can visit http://www.pimaair.org for more details. The event includes several other mission-related exhibits.
Admission to the museum is waived in return for a donation for those who bring a printout of the UA’s "Mars Cat" logo, which can be downloaded from the UA’s Tech Park site.
Regular paid admission to the Pima Air & Space Museum is $11.75 adults, $9.50 children 12 and under, free for ages six and under; a discounted $9.75 admission is available to those with AAA membership, military ID or aged 62 and over.
A UA Phoenix Mars Mission spokesperson also said the launch will be replayed "almost immediately" on the UA Lunar and Planetary Lab’s Phoenix Mars Mission Web site.
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