[meteorite-list] MRO Ready for Launch August 11

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed Aug 10 18:13:25 2005
Message-ID: <200508102212.j7AMCQg18350_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

August 10, 2005

Dolores Beasley
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-1753)

George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(Phone: 321/867-2468)

MEDIA ADVISORY: 78-05

NASA'S MARS ORBITER READY FOR LAUNCH AUGUST 11

The launch vehicle for NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has
been cleared for flight. The launch is scheduled for Thursday, August
11. The launch window is from 7:50 to 9:35 a.m. EDT.

The launch was postponed for 24 hours due to a failure of a Redundant
Rate Gryo Unit (RRGU) at the manufacturer. The unit is similar to two
RRGU's that are part of the flight control system on MRO's Atlas V
launch vehicle. The decision to go ahead with Thursday's launch was
made today by launch vehicle engineers following test and evaluation
of the failed RRGUs at the manufacturer. Similar units on the Atlas V
at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Complex 41 were deemed
acceptable for MRO's launch.

For interested media, the imagery opportunity for the Atlas V rollout
from KSC's Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad departs
from the KSC Press Site at 10:15 p.m. EDT tonight.

On launch day, Aug. 11, the KSC News Center will open at 4:30 a.m.
EDT. Foreign national news media should meet at Gate 1 at Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station at 5 a.m. to be escorted to the KSC Press
Site. NASA TV live coverage of the launch begins at 5:30 a.m.

For information about the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on the Web,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/mro

        
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Received on Wed 10 Aug 2005 06:12:26 PM PDT