Tag Archives: Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN

MAVEN finds links in chain of atmospheric Loss

Posted on December 16, 2014 by rburnham

Early discoveries by NASA’s newest Mars orbiter are starting to reveal key features about the loss of the planet’s atmosphere to space over time… The observations reveal a new process by which the solar wind can penetrate deep into a … Continue reading →

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MAVEN: Evolution of Mars

Posted on December 5, 2014 by rburnham

Mission summary article by Janet Luhmann, MAVEN Deputy Principal Investigator: Mars exploration has two distinctly human faces. One is focused on the deeper understanding of our solar system, and our place in it. How is it that the Earth ended … Continue reading →

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MAVEN Status update: December 3, 2014

Posted on December 4, 2014 by rburnham

MAVEN is now fully into its Science Phase at Mars and the scientists have been releasing exciting results, not the least of which were recent findings from the Comet Siding Spring encounter. The Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrometer was able to observe … Continue reading →

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MAVEN: Out of safe mode, instruments off

Posted on November 24, 2014 by rburnham

November 22, 2014: After ground testing and careful review over the last two days, MAVEN was successfully brought out of Safehold Mode this afternoon. The spacecraft is operating nominally in Earth-Point Mode with high-rate communications… [More at link]

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MAVEN: Safing event, November 19

Posted on November 21, 2014 by rburnham

MAVEN went into safehold mode on Wednesday, November 19. The spacecraft goes into this state autonomously, when it detects a problem with its operations, to ensure that it stays safe and in contact with Earth. Safehold was triggered by a … Continue reading →

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MAVEN begins primary science mission

Posted on November 19, 2014 by rburnham

The MAVEN spacecraft completed its commissioning activities on November 16 and has formally begun its one-year primary science mission. The start of science is actually a “soft start”, in that the instruments started making science measurements beginning almost as soon … Continue reading →

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MAVEN relays Curiosity data, images to Earth

Posted on November 10, 2014 by rburnham

The newest node in NASA’s Mars telecommunications network — a radio aboard the MAVEN orbiter custom-designed for data links with robots on the surface of Mars — handled a copious 550 megabits during its first relay of real Mars data. … Continue reading →

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Comet Siding Spring’s effects on Mars atmosphere

Posted on November 7, 2014 by rburnham

Two NASA and one European spacecraft that obtained the first up-close observations of a comet flyby of Mars on Oct. 19, have gathered new information about the basic properties of the comet’s nucleus and directly detected the effects on the … Continue reading →

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NASA telecon to discuss Mars comet findings

Posted on November 5, 2014 by rburnham

NASA will host a media teleconference at 9 a.m. PST (noon EST) on Friday, Nov. 7, to provide initial science observations of comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring’s close flyby of Mars and the impact on the Martian atmosphere. Briefing participants … Continue reading →

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MAVEN Status update: October 31, 2014

Posted on October 31, 2014 by rburnham

October was a very busy time for the team. We performed a total of three engine burns this month in order to get MAVEN down to its planned science orbit with an orbital period of 4.6 hours and a periapsis … Continue reading →

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