[meteorite-list] Lockheed Martin Delivers Atlas V to Cape Canveral for NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon Apr 4 20:20:07 2005
Message-ID: <200504050019.j350JgY13744_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/wms/findPage.do?dsp=fec&ci=16692&rsbci=0&fti=111&ti=0&sc=400

LOCKHEED MARTIN DELIVERS ATLAS V TO CAPE CANAVERAL FOR NASA'S MARS
RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER MISSION

Atlas Launch Team Begins Preparations for the Next Mission to Mars
in August

Denver, CO, April 4, 2005 -- The National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA), Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Lockheed Martin
mark another significant milestone in the Mars space exploration program
as .Lockheed Martin delivered the vehicle that will launch the Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter mission to Mars. The Atlas V, designated AV-007,
arrived at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., where the launch team
will now begin preparations for the August 10 liftoff.

The AV-007 Atlas V launch vehicle, built by Lockheed Martin Space
Systems at its facilities near Denver, Colo., was shipped from Denver to
Cape Canaveral in two stages. The Centaur upper stage was shipped out
first on March 29, aboard an Antonov AN-124 cargo aircraft and arrived
at Cape Canaveral that afternoon. Two days later, the Atlas V's booster
stage was shipped from Denver to Cape Canaveral March 31. The Atlas
launch team will now begin horizontal processing of the Atlas V booster
and Centaur upper stage in the high bay facility at the Atlas
Spaceflight Operations Center at Launch Complex 41. The vehicle will
undergo a series of subsystem and systems testing to verify flight
readiness for the August 10 launch. The testing includes launch vehicle
flight control testing, electrical system verifications, propulsion and
pneumatic verifications, and interface checks between the booster and
upper stage. When fully stacked, the Atlas V AV-007 launch vehicle with
the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter safely contained inside the payload
fairing will stand almost 19 stories tall at a height of 188 feet.

"This is a very exciting week for all of us on the Atlas program and the
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter team" said James V. Sponnick, Lockheed
Martin Atlas program vice president. "Atlas is taking us back to Mars
and this year, in particular, holds a very special place in history for
NASA and the exploration of our solar system. Atlas launched the
Mariner missions to Mars in the 1960s, including Mariner 4, the first
successful mission to Mars launched on an Atlas in November 1964.
Mariner 4 provided the first ever close-up images of another planet in
our solar system during its Mars flyby in 1965. We are extremely proud
of the partnership we have shared with NASA that extends over four
decades as we continue the journey of space exploration."

The AV-007 vehicle uses the basic "401" configuration, with a
4-meter-diameter fairing and no solid rocket boosters. NASA selected
Lockheed Martin and International Launch Services for the Atlas V launch
service as well as the design, build and integration of the spacecraft,
launch support and mission operations. This will be the third Atlas
mission of the year. The Atlas series has achieved a record 76
successful flights in a row.

The MRO spacecraft, which will be the largest spacecraft to orbit Mars
weighing 4,796 lbs (2,180 kg) at liftoff, is also being built by
Lockheed Martin at its facilities near Denver, Colo. The spacecraft is
undergoing final testing and will be shipped to Kennedy Space Center at
the end of April for final processing and launch aboard the Atlas V.

JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena,
manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for the NASA Science Mission
Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime
contractor for the project.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, headquartered near Denver, Colo.,
is one of the major operating units of Lockheed Martin Corporation.
Space Systems Company designs, develops, tests and manufactures a
variety of advanced technology systems for space and defense. Chief
products include space launch systems, defense systems, interplanetary
and science spacecraft, spacecraft for commercial and government
customers, fleet ballistic missiles and missile defense systems.

For images of delivery of the Atlas V launch vehicle for the Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter mission, go to:
http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/search.cfm

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 130,000
people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design,
development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems,
products and services. The corporation reported 2004 sales of $35.5 billion.

Contact:
 Joan Underwood, 303-971-7398; e-mail, joan.b.underwood_at_lmco.com
Received on Mon 04 Apr 2005 08:19:41 PM PDT