Mars Spacecraft Orbit Thrills NASA

[David Morris]

http://www.e-topics.com/index.asp?layout=intraday_story&UserID=20010911105129612820&desk=wtwn%5FTop+World+News&doc_id=102985

Mars Spacecraft Orbit Thrills NASA
Oct 24, 2001 10:54AM    [AP Online]

PASADENA, Calif. (AP)  NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft circled the Red 
Planet on Wednesday on its first full day in orbit, two years after the 
space agency suffered back-to-back failures by Mars missions.

The craft fired its engine Tuesday night to slow its speed, then arced over 
Mars' north pole into orbit.

Odyssey arrived nearly directly on its target  480 miles above Mars' surface 
  and is slowing moving away from the planet, said mission engineer Guy 
Beutelschies. No problems were reported.

"Everything went according to plan," Beutelschies said. "We did a little bit 
better than we expected."

The mission's initial success served as redemption for NASA after its 
earlier Mars missions failed.

"This embodies the American spirit. We showed we could win after being 
slammed a few times," said retiring NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin.

Odyssey's mission to study the makeup of Mars and to search for frozen 
reservoirs of water faced a critical step with the first and only firing of 
its engine. Failure could have sent the spacecraft hurtling past the planet.

Tension mounted at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory when the expected 
indication  a change in a signal transmitted from the spacecraft  was not 
detected as expected at 7:26 p.m. More than 4 minutes passed before the 
firing was confirmed.

"I was getting really worried then," project manager Matt Landano said.

Contact with Odyssey was lost as expected during its 20-minute pass behind 
the planet. Mission control erupted in cheers and high fives when the signal 
reappeared from across 93 million miles.



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