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NASA Sending a MESSENGER to Mercury



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 15th 04, 06:19 PM
Ron
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Default NASA Sending a MESSENGER to Mercury

http://www.jhuapl.edu/newscenter/pre...004/040715.htm

Media Contacts

Michael Buckley
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Phone: 240-228-7536
or 443-778-7536
E-mail:

Donald Savage
NASA Headquarters
202-358-1727
E-Mail:


NASA Sending a MESSENGER to Mercury
July 15, 2004

NASA's first trip to Mercury in 30 years - and the closest look ever
at the innermost planet - starts in August with the predawn launch of
the MESSENGER spacecraft from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

MESSENGER will conduct an in-depth study of the Sun's closest
neighbor, the least explored of the terrestrial ("rocky") planets that
also include Venus, Earth and Mars. After a scheduled 2:16 a.m. (EDT)
liftoff aboard a Delta II launch vehicle on Aug. 2 - the first day of a
13-day launch period - MESSENGER's voyage includes three flybys of
Mercury in 2008 and 2009 and a yearlong orbit of the planet starting in
March 2011.

"Our missions to Mars and Venus have produced exciting data and new
theories about the processes that formed the inner planets," says
Orlando Figueroa, director of the Solar System Exploration Division at
NASA Headquarters, Washington. "Yet Mercury still stands out as a planet
with a fascinating story to tell. MESSENGER should complete the detailed
exploration of the inner solar system - our planetary backyard - and
help us to understand the forces that shaped planets like our own."

MESSENGER (short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment,
GEochemistry, and Ranging) is only the second spacecraft to set sights
on Mercury; Mariner 10 sailed past it three times in 1974 and 1975 and
gathered detailed data on less than half the surface. Carrying seven
scientific instruments on its compact and durable composite frame,
MESSENGER will provide the first images of the entire planet. The
mission will also collect detailed information on the composition and
structure of Mercury's crust, its geologic history, the nature of its
thin atmosphere and active magnetosphere, and the makeup of its core and
polar materials.

MESSENGER's science team will shape its investigation around several
questions, including: Why is Mercury - the densest planet in the solar
system - mostly made of iron? Why is it the only inner planet besides
Earth with a global magnetic field? How can the planet closest to the
Sun, with daytime temperatures near 840 degrees Fahrenheit, have what
appears to be ice in its polar craters?

"For nearly 30 years we've had questions that couldn't be answered
until technology and mission designs caught up with our desire to go
back to Mercury," says Dr. Sean C. Solomon, MESSENGER principal
investigator, from the Carnegie Institution of Washington. "Now we are
ready. The answers to these questions will not only tell us more about
Mercury, but illuminate processes that affect all the terrestrial planets."

Mercury's proximity to the Sun makes it both a fascinating subject
and an unprecedented mission design challenge. The Sun can be up to 11
times brighter than what we see on Earth and surface temperatures at
Mercury's equator can reach 450 degrees Celsius (about 840 degrees
Fahrenheit), but MESSENGER will operate at room temperature behind a
sunshade of heat-resistant ceramic fabric. The 1.2-ton spacecraft also
features a heat-radiation system and will pass only briefly over
Mercury's hottest regions, limiting exposure to the intense heat
bouncing back from the broiling surface.

"We're doing something no one has ever tried before," says MESSENGER
Project Manager David G. Grant, of the Johns Hopkins University Applied
Physics Laboratory (APL), Laurel, Md. "After launch and a long trip
through the inner solar system, we still face the risky and difficult
job of orbiting the planet next to the Sun. The team is confident that
the spacecraft they designed, built and tested is ready for this journey
and its mission to Mercury."

On a 4.9-billion mile (7.9-billion kilometer) journey that includes
15 loops around the Sun, the solar-powered MESSENGER will fly past Earth
once, Venus twice and Mercury three times before easing into orbit
around its target planet. The Earth flyby, a year after launch, and the
Venus flybys, in October 2006 and June 2007, use the pull of the
planets' gravity to guide MESSENGER toward Mercury's orbit. The Mercury
flybys in January 2008, October 2008 and September 2009 fine-tune and
slow MESSENGER's track while allowing the spacecraft to gather data
critical to planning the mission's orbit phase.

The MESSENGER project is the seventh in NASA's Discovery Program of
lower-cost, scientifically focused space missions. Solomon leads the
mission as principal investigator; APL manages the mission for NASA's
Office of Space Science and designed, built and will operate the
MESSENGER spacecraft. MESSENGER's science instruments were built by APL;
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.; University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor; and University of Colorado, Boulder. GenCorp
Aerojet, Sacramento, Calif., and Composite Optics Inc., San Diego,
provided MESSENGER's propulsion system and composite structure,
respectively.

The MESSENGER science team draws expertise from APL; Brown
University, Providence, R.I.; Carnegie Institution of Washington;
Goddard Space Flight Center; Los Alamos National Laboratory, N.M.;
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge; Northwestern
University, Evanston, Ill.; Southwest Research Institute, Boulder,
Colo.; University of Arizona, Tucson; University of California, Santa
Barbara; University of Colorado, Boulder; University of Michigan, Ann
Arbor; and Washington University, St. Louis.

Additional information about MESSENGER is available on the Web at:
http://messenger.jhuapl.edu

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Applied Physics Laboratory, a division of The Johns Hopkins
University, meets critical national challenges through the innovative
application of science and technology. For information, visit
www.jhuapl.edu .
  #2  
Old July 15th 04, 08:55 PM
Jack Harrison
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default NASA Sending a MESSENGER to Mercury


"Ron" wrote
MESSENGER's voyage includes three flybys of
Mercury in 2008 and 2009 and a yearlong orbit of the planet starting in
March 2011.


I wonder if I am alone in finding this time scale a little depressing.

There are so many discoveries being made at the minute (ammonia = life???
Mars???) that I might well curl up my toes before the really interesting
results are available. In 2011, I will be 72. I hope to still be around
then to find out what Messenger discovers, but these long lead times are a
little worrying.

I suppose there's a parallel with the old days when building a Cathedral was
started in one century but not completed until two hundred years later. You
need faith.

If I don't live long enough to find out about our encounter with
intelligence on Beta Pictoris C/2 (or wherever) than at least on my death
bed, I will have the knowledge that my own generation was trying (yes, at
times, very trying)

Jack


  #3  
Old July 15th 04, 08:55 PM
Jack Harrison
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default NASA Sending a MESSENGER to Mercury


"Ron" wrote
MESSENGER's voyage includes three flybys of
Mercury in 2008 and 2009 and a yearlong orbit of the planet starting in
March 2011.


I wonder if I am alone in finding this time scale a little depressing.

There are so many discoveries being made at the minute (ammonia = life???
Mars???) that I might well curl up my toes before the really interesting
results are available. In 2011, I will be 72. I hope to still be around
then to find out what Messenger discovers, but these long lead times are a
little worrying.

I suppose there's a parallel with the old days when building a Cathedral was
started in one century but not completed until two hundred years later. You
need faith.

If I don't live long enough to find out about our encounter with
intelligence on Beta Pictoris C/2 (or wherever) than at least on my death
bed, I will have the knowledge that my own generation was trying (yes, at
times, very trying)

Jack


  #4  
Old July 15th 04, 09:41 PM
Alfred A. Aburto Jr.
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default NASA Sending a MESSENGER to Mercury

:-)
Humm, I had the same thought in reading this article too! I'll 69 in 2011
....
Al


"Jack Harrison" wrote in message

...

"Ron" wrote
MESSENGER's voyage includes three flybys of
Mercury in 2008 and 2009 and a yearlong orbit of the planet starting in
March 2011.


I wonder if I am alone in finding this time scale a little depressing.

There are so many discoveries being made at the minute (ammonia = life???
Mars???) that I might well curl up my toes before the really interesting
results are available. In 2011, I will be 72. I hope to still be around
then to find out what Messenger discovers, but these long lead times are a
little worrying.

I suppose there's a parallel with the old days when building a Cathedral

was
started in one century but not completed until two hundred years later.

You
need faith.

If I don't live long enough to find out about our encounter with
intelligence on Beta Pictoris C/2 (or wherever) than at least on my death
bed, I will have the knowledge that my own generation was trying (yes, at
times, very trying)

Jack




  #5  
Old July 15th 04, 09:41 PM
Alfred A. Aburto Jr.
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default NASA Sending a MESSENGER to Mercury

:-)
Humm, I had the same thought in reading this article too! I'll 69 in 2011
....
Al


"Jack Harrison" wrote in message

...

"Ron" wrote
MESSENGER's voyage includes three flybys of
Mercury in 2008 and 2009 and a yearlong orbit of the planet starting in
March 2011.


I wonder if I am alone in finding this time scale a little depressing.

There are so many discoveries being made at the minute (ammonia = life???
Mars???) that I might well curl up my toes before the really interesting
results are available. In 2011, I will be 72. I hope to still be around
then to find out what Messenger discovers, but these long lead times are a
little worrying.

I suppose there's a parallel with the old days when building a Cathedral

was
started in one century but not completed until two hundred years later.

You
need faith.

If I don't live long enough to find out about our encounter with
intelligence on Beta Pictoris C/2 (or wherever) than at least on my death
bed, I will have the knowledge that my own generation was trying (yes, at
times, very trying)

Jack




  #6  
Old July 15th 04, 09:52 PM
Jaxtraw
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default NASA Sending a MESSENGER to Mercury

"Jack Harrison" wrote in message
...

"Ron" wrote
MESSENGER's voyage includes three flybys of
Mercury in 2008 and 2009 and a yearlong orbit of the planet starting in
March 2011.


I wonder if I am alone in finding this time scale a little depressing.

There are so many discoveries being made at the minute (ammonia = life???
Mars???) that I might well curl up my toes before the really interesting
results are available. In 2011, I will be 72. I hope to still be around
then to find out what Messenger discovers, but these long lead times are a
little worrying.

I suppose there's a parallel with the old days when building a Cathedral

was
started in one century but not completed until two hundred years later.

You
need faith.

If I don't live long enough to find out about our encounter with
intelligence on Beta Pictoris C/2 (or wherever) than at least on my death
bed, I will have the knowledge that my own generation was trying (yes, at
times, very trying)


I find them disappointing too. I guess the straight answer is they're a
result of the lack of investment in high power launcher technology. The most
powerful rocket ever built, Saturn V, was abandoned in favour of the
disappointing shuttle project. As a result we haven't got any launchers with
enough oomph to send a probe direct to its target and instead have to put up
with these long, roundabout trajectories. Look at Cassini. That was supposed
to be launched by shuttle, but after the first "disaster" (every accident is
a "disaster") increased paranoia about safety meant it ultimately had to be
launched from a Delta and take a far more roundabout route than the original
mission plan.

The worst thing about it is you may have to wait 5 or 6 or 7 or 10 years
just to find out the spacecraft is broken when it finally gets to its
destination. It's ludicrous that a mission across the relatively short hop
to Mercury will take 7 years.

Even worse IMHO is stuff like the New Horizons mission to Pluto; whether
it's a planet or not it's the largest of a fascinating class of solar system
objects about which we know very little; yet all we can manage is a slow,
small, mission that will, after years of waiting, give a day or two of data
as it rushes by. Why the hell are we, nearly 50 years into the Space Age,
even considering fly-bys? Is that *really* the best we can do?

Time to reinvest in some real heavy lift launchers (imagine what we'd have
achieved with development of Saturn, let alone nuclear rockets). Then we
could *really* get some exploration done. Instead of faffing around in LEO
with the shuttle and that utterly pointless Space Station thing.

/rant

Ian


  #7  
Old July 15th 04, 09:52 PM
Jaxtraw
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default NASA Sending a MESSENGER to Mercury

"Jack Harrison" wrote in message
...

"Ron" wrote
MESSENGER's voyage includes three flybys of
Mercury in 2008 and 2009 and a yearlong orbit of the planet starting in
March 2011.


I wonder if I am alone in finding this time scale a little depressing.

There are so many discoveries being made at the minute (ammonia = life???
Mars???) that I might well curl up my toes before the really interesting
results are available. In 2011, I will be 72. I hope to still be around
then to find out what Messenger discovers, but these long lead times are a
little worrying.

I suppose there's a parallel with the old days when building a Cathedral

was
started in one century but not completed until two hundred years later.

You
need faith.

If I don't live long enough to find out about our encounter with
intelligence on Beta Pictoris C/2 (or wherever) than at least on my death
bed, I will have the knowledge that my own generation was trying (yes, at
times, very trying)


I find them disappointing too. I guess the straight answer is they're a
result of the lack of investment in high power launcher technology. The most
powerful rocket ever built, Saturn V, was abandoned in favour of the
disappointing shuttle project. As a result we haven't got any launchers with
enough oomph to send a probe direct to its target and instead have to put up
with these long, roundabout trajectories. Look at Cassini. That was supposed
to be launched by shuttle, but after the first "disaster" (every accident is
a "disaster") increased paranoia about safety meant it ultimately had to be
launched from a Delta and take a far more roundabout route than the original
mission plan.

The worst thing about it is you may have to wait 5 or 6 or 7 or 10 years
just to find out the spacecraft is broken when it finally gets to its
destination. It's ludicrous that a mission across the relatively short hop
to Mercury will take 7 years.

Even worse IMHO is stuff like the New Horizons mission to Pluto; whether
it's a planet or not it's the largest of a fascinating class of solar system
objects about which we know very little; yet all we can manage is a slow,
small, mission that will, after years of waiting, give a day or two of data
as it rushes by. Why the hell are we, nearly 50 years into the Space Age,
even considering fly-bys? Is that *really* the best we can do?

Time to reinvest in some real heavy lift launchers (imagine what we'd have
achieved with development of Saturn, let alone nuclear rockets). Then we
could *really* get some exploration done. Instead of faffing around in LEO
with the shuttle and that utterly pointless Space Station thing.

/rant

Ian


  #8  
Old July 15th 04, 10:09 PM
randyj
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default NASA Sending a MESSENGER to Mercury


"Jack Harrison" wrote in message
...

"Ron" wrote
MESSENGER's voyage includes three flybys of
Mercury in 2008 and 2009 and a yearlong orbit of the planet starting in
March 2011.


I wonder if I am alone in finding this time scale a little depressing.

There are so many discoveries being made at the minute (ammonia = life???
Mars???) that I might well curl up my toes before the really interesting
results are available. In 2011, I will be 72. I hope to still be around
then to find out what Messenger discovers, but these long lead times are a
little worrying.

I suppose there's a parallel with the old days when building a Cathedral

was
started in one century but not completed until two hundred years later.

You
need faith.

If I don't live long enough to find out about our encounter with
intelligence on Beta Pictoris C/2 (or wherever) than at least on my death
bed, I will have the knowledge that my own generation was trying (yes, at
times, very trying)

Jack



you brits sound as if you've caught the american disease of demanding
instant
gratification. No doubt you've been spoiled by recent successes. In 1997,
when Cassini launched, 2004 seemed like a mighty long time away. But here it
is and we're still alive! Space exploration builds on the successes of
previous
generations. There's always going to be something more down the road. You
can't see it all right now. Be grateful for what you've got.

rj


  #9  
Old July 15th 04, 10:09 PM
randyj
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default NASA Sending a MESSENGER to Mercury


"Jack Harrison" wrote in message
...

"Ron" wrote
MESSENGER's voyage includes three flybys of
Mercury in 2008 and 2009 and a yearlong orbit of the planet starting in
March 2011.


I wonder if I am alone in finding this time scale a little depressing.

There are so many discoveries being made at the minute (ammonia = life???
Mars???) that I might well curl up my toes before the really interesting
results are available. In 2011, I will be 72. I hope to still be around
then to find out what Messenger discovers, but these long lead times are a
little worrying.

I suppose there's a parallel with the old days when building a Cathedral

was
started in one century but not completed until two hundred years later.

You
need faith.

If I don't live long enough to find out about our encounter with
intelligence on Beta Pictoris C/2 (or wherever) than at least on my death
bed, I will have the knowledge that my own generation was trying (yes, at
times, very trying)

Jack



you brits sound as if you've caught the american disease of demanding
instant
gratification. No doubt you've been spoiled by recent successes. In 1997,
when Cassini launched, 2004 seemed like a mighty long time away. But here it
is and we're still alive! Space exploration builds on the successes of
previous
generations. There's always going to be something more down the road. You
can't see it all right now. Be grateful for what you've got.

rj


  #10  
Old July 15th 04, 10:47 PM
Jaxtraw
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default NASA Sending a MESSENGER to Mercury

"randyj" wrote in message
...

"Jack Harrison" wrote in message
...

"Ron" wrote
MESSENGER's voyage includes three flybys of
Mercury in 2008 and 2009 and a yearlong orbit of the planet starting

in
March 2011.


I wonder if I am alone in finding this time scale a little depressing.

There are so many discoveries being made at the minute (ammonia =

life???
Mars???) that I might well curl up my toes before the really interesting
results are available. In 2011, I will be 72. I hope to still be

around
then to find out what Messenger discovers, but these long lead times are

a
little worrying.

I suppose there's a parallel with the old days when building a Cathedral

was
started in one century but not completed until two hundred years later.

You
need faith.

If I don't live long enough to find out about our encounter with
intelligence on Beta Pictoris C/2 (or wherever) than at least on my

death
bed, I will have the knowledge that my own generation was trying (yes,

at
times, very trying)

Jack



you brits sound as if you've caught the american disease of demanding
instant
gratification. No doubt you've been spoiled by recent successes. In 1997,
when Cassini launched, 2004 seemed like a mighty long time away. But here

it
is and we're still alive! Space exploration builds on the successes of
previous
generations. There's always going to be something more down the road. You
can't see it all right now. Be grateful for what you've got.


I don't agree. Patience is a virtue, when patience is required. Give me a
reason to wait, and I'll wait contentedly. Tell me to wait just because I
have to wait, or because waiting is good, and I'll frustratedly ask "why?"
When Cassini launched, 2004 *was* a long way away, it was a far longer wait
than it should have been, and I have to add that many people alive in 97
didn't actually make it to 2004 )

I also disagree with your statement that "space exploration builds on the
successes of previous generations". There aren't many generations for it to
build on; and in its heyday it, like all the great technologies (steam, for
instance) rushed ahead with gay abandon forging new territories. They didn't
lauch Ranger 1, sit there for 5 years, then lauch Ranger 2. We literally
raced to the Moon. It was only *then* that the waiting began. We haven't
achieved that much really since the 60s. A few successful probes (and of
those, 3 are tiddly little rovers that we're all supposed to be simply
thrilled with, Galileo nearly washed out because of antenna failure, and
Cassini still has to prove itself- for all we know Huygens may fail, and
that's our last hope of landing on Titan before I retire probably. And I'm
only 38). Other than that, we've done some good groundwork studying human
reactions to extended duration space flight, built a big space plane that
keeps blowing up, and a space station nobody can think of a use for.

We could have been tramping about on Mars by the 80s. Asking for reasonably
fast probes in the 00's is small potatoes by comparison

Ian


 




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