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Aerojet Propulsion Gears Up For Critical Phoenix Mars Landing Maneuvers
Sacramento CA (SPX) May 22, 2008 Aerojet, Lockheed Martin and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are counting on 12 Aerojet lander engines to smoothly land NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander onto the surface of Mars on May 25, 2008. Aerojet's eight cruise engines have guided the spacecraft to Mars, and the 12 lander engines will execute the first successful actively guided descent onto the northern plains of Mars since the twin Viking Landers arrived in 1976. Each of the three Mars orbiters is adjusting its orbit to be over the right place at the right time to support the landing - Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter carry Aerojet propulsion, as have all U.S. missions to Mars since the historic Viking Landers. The third spacecraft on alert is the European Space Agency's Mars Express. Every landing on Mars entails complex maneuvers. The three orbiters will track Phoenix as it streaks through Mars' atmosphere breaking new ground with critical events coverage during a robotic landing. NASA expects to track Phoenix during the crucial entry, descent and landing events and for as much as one minute after touchdown. "Aerojet joins NASA and our customer Lockheed Martin in anticipation of a smooth landing on Mars," said Aerojet President Scott Neish. "We are proud to be part of this historic event." NASA's Phoenix mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson with project management at JPL and development partnership at Lockheed Martin. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links Aerojet Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com Lunar Dreams and more
Mars Express Mission Controllers Ready For NASA Phoenix Landing
Paris, France (ESA) May 21, 2008ESA's Mars Express mission control team are ready to monitor Phoenix's critical entry, descent and landing onto the Martian surface on 26 May 2008. The Mars Express mission control team have completed major preparations for supporting the entry, descent and landing (EDL) phase of NASA's Phoenix mission to the Red Planet. |
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