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ILS To Launch Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA on Atlas V

Posted on: Thursday, 4 August 2005, 12:00 CDT

ILS: Payload: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Separated mass: Approx. 4,806 lbs (2,180 kg) Launch Vehicle: Atlas V-401, designated AV-007 Weight at liftoff: 740,000 lbs (336,000 kg), including payload Fairing: 13.75 ft (4 m) diameter Height: 188 ft (57 m) Launch Date: Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2005 Launch Window: 1 hour 45 minutes 7:54-9:39 a.m. EDT 5:54-7:39 a.m. MDT 4:54-6:39 a.m. PDT 11:54-13:39 GMT Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Launch Complex 41 Launch Customer: NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida Spacecraft End User: NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Denver, Colo. Launch Vehicle Atlas vehicle and Centaur upper stage built by Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver, Colo.; San Diego, Calif.; and Harlingen, Texas. Launch Services Provider: International Launch Services, McLean, Va. Spacecraft Use: To search for evidence of water on Mars, using extreme close-up photography; analyzing minerals; examining the subsurface with radar; and monitoring daily weather. The orbiter also will establish a crucial data link and will seek suitable landing sites for future spacecraft. Spacecraft Statistics: -- 6.5 m (21 feet) high -- 13.6 m (45 feet) wide -- 3 m (10-foot) diameter dish antenna -- 2 kw solar panel power at farthest point from sun -- 6 science instruments (hyper-spectral imaging spectrometer; very-high-resolution camera; context camera; color camera; climate sounder; shallow subsurface radar) Mission Profile: Earth escape mission (hyperbolic departure orbit), with two Centaur burns

. Event times will depend on the actual launch date; the following timeline summary assumes an Aug. 10 launch. The Atlas V vehicle will lift off from Pad 41. After about 4 minutes, the Atlas booster stage will burn out and separate from the Centaur upper stage. The Centaur will ignite and shortly thereafter the payload fairing will be jettisoned. After about 9 more minutes, the Centaur main engine will cut off and the vehicle will coast about 35 minutes in an elliptical parking orbit. The Centaur will then ignite a second time, burning about 5.5 minutes before releasing the spacecraft on its seven-month voyage to Mars. Spacecraft Separation: Approximately 58 minutes after liftoff Parking Orbit Parameters: Apogee Altitude: 100 nm (185 km/115 statute miles) Perigee Altitude: 80 nm (148 km/92 statute miles) ILS Mission Statistics: -- 6th flight of Atlas V vehicle -- 1st Atlas V launch for NASA and U.S. government -- 134th Atlas launch for NASA -- Atlas family has perfect record in 76 consecutive flights -- 3rd Atlas mission this year -- 5th mission for ILS this year NEWS MEDIA ACTIVITIES All times are EDT Pre-launch Briefing: 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9 NASA News Center Kennedy Space Center This also will be carried on NASA TV. Remote Camera Set-up: 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9. Accredited photographers should meet at KSC News Center to board a van that will take them to Complex 41. Vehicle Rollout: 10:44 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9. News media should meet at the KSC News Center at 10:15 p.m. to board a van that will take them to the viewing site. RSVP required by close of business Aug. 8 by calling KSC News Center at 321-867-2468. Launch Viewing: We will use the KSC Press Site; for credentials, contact KSC News Center at 321-867-2468. Live Broadcast: ILS will webcast the launch at www.ilslaunch.com beginning approximately 7:40 a.m. NASA's launch broadcast will be carried on NASA TV beginning at 5:30 a.m. More Information: General mission information and launch highlights will be available on the ILS website at www.ilslaunch.com. Launch status updates will be available on the ILS U.S. domestic Launch Hotline at 1-800-852-4980. Mission information also is available at www.nasa.gov/mro and marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov.

Source: Business Wire

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