Mars welcomes MAVEN tonight!

[deadshot462]

After having launched last November 2013, MAVEN will reach Mars orbit tonight to study its atmosphere!

Live updates:

http://spaceflightnow.com/mars/maven/status2.html

http://www.space.com/17933-nasa-television-webcasts-live-space-tv.html?cmpid=514648_20140921_32026616

Event starts in about 4 hours from this post.

Edited September 21, 2014 by deadshot462

[problemecium]

Sooo... now?

[MaverickSawyer]

Not quite... 2 hours, 30 minutes until coverage.

[deadshot462]

Live coverage begins for MOI:

http://www.universetoday.com/114694/watch-live-as-maven-meets-mars/

30 minutes to go!

[Kryten]

Burn started a few minutes ago.

[CaptainKipard]

Good stuff. At this time it looks like the probe has not exploded, or been propelled into interstellar space.

[Kryten]

In Mars orbit. Some engine underperformance, compensated with slightly longer burn.

[astropapi1]

In Mars orbit. Some engine underperformance, compensated with slightly longer burn.

Great!

Next up is the indian probe, what's it called?

[Kryten]

Mars Orbiter Mission officially, Mangalyaan unofficially.

[astropapi1]

Mars Orbiter Mission officially, Mangalyaan unofficially.

lol, I love indians. They take "Literal" to the limit. The launcher for that mission is called "Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle", no joke.

[BagelRabbit]

Hello! For those of you who didn't watch MAVEN's orbital insertion burn, or who wanted it to be more Kerbal, presenting:

What Really Happened to MAVEN!

Let me know what you think... I'm going to sleep now

[Scotius]

Hahaha. That's why NASA uses probe cores - no flailing around.

[Debra]

Latest news: ISRO's Mars Orbiter successfully completes the fourth trajectory correction manoeuvre and test fire of the main liquid engine of the spacecraft.

[CaptainKipard]

Latest news: ISRO's Mars Orbiter successfully completes the fourth trajectory correction manoeuvre and test fire of the main liquid engine of the spacecraft.

Is that from the same stream?

[Tw1]

What Really Happened to MAVEN!

http://youtu.be/AVAcU1u2HSI

What I was trying to say in the rep comment thing was: Nice job! I even like the sound effects.

[Scotius]

I've dug a bit into info about MAVEN, and found something that puzzles me.

http://www.spaceflight101.com/maven-spacecraft-information.html

According to this article, probe's main thrusters have Isp of only about 230. Isn't that a bit low?

[Kryten]

For a monopropellant thruster, that's very good.