NASA Moves Ahead with MSL Launch-Prep
Our intent is to keep our eye on the ball and launch in ‘09,” said Doug McCuistion, director of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, after a meeting today with NASA Administrator Mike Griffin. Additional funds will be needed to meet this launch date. “We haven’t fully resolved where the money will come from,” said McCuistion, who declined to release specific cost estimates.
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Already $300 million dollars over-budget, the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover has been given a reprieve by NASA to move ahead toward its launching in September or October of 2009. Prior to last Friday, the choices available were to cancel, delay the mission, or to go ahead with the plans and hope for the best. With rumors abound regarding its danger of being cancellation due to lack of funding, NASA is working with Congress and the White House on this financial situation, according to Ed Weiler, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
Presently at the cost of a billion-and-a-half dollars, preserving the agency’s MSL may force other projects to be cut within the Mars program and also the entire planetary science division. A lot of the rising costs have to do with the added weight to the rover—seven times heavier than previous rover missions—carrying 75 kg of scientific instruments which weigh over a ton. This added weight was too much on the motors that control the robotic arm of the MSL, power its drill, while also being unable to turn its wheels.
The New York company Aeroflex is needing to have the actuators working by December for the MSL, in order for NASA to test its rover in early 2009 on Mars. Every day of delay in the company’s developments will hold up other part assemblies which relay on the actuators. In November NASA will begin field tests on the systems for its MSL to launch and carry the rover through space. Not needing the actuators, the rover can still be moving forward despite the delays with the MSL officials meeting in January with Griffin to see where they are at. If a delay is needed, there will not be another launch window until 2011.
