Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

ESA to Deploy Mars Express Radar

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the can't-get-enough-of-that-new-mars-topic-icon dept.

fenimor writes "Mars Express was launched on 2 June 2003 and reached the planet on 25 December 2003. After eight months of intensive computer simulations and technical investigations the European Space Agency has given the green light for the MARSIS radar on board Mars Express spacecraft to be deployed during the first week of May. Assuming that this operation is successful, the radar will finally start the search for subsurface water reservoirs and studies of the Martian ionosphere."

1 of 140 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Why not test while in Earth orbit? by cnettel · · Score: 0, Redundant
    Oh, I love this approach:

    1. Send up a probe, using a lot of fuel to put it in an ISS-friendly orbit.

    2. Add enough fuel to accelerate from that orbit into a completely different trajectory to reach Mars sometime soon.

    3. ?????????

    4. Profit!

    Also, I wouldn't be so sure that the probe wouldn't benefit from extra protection during the heavy acceleration when leaving Earth orbit and possibly during the voyage itself (more of a radiation matter, there).

    The most important point -- it is not cheap to bring up a lot of fuel into space. Currently, you should better be on the right track from the start. Going into orbit and then leaving it is not a way to do so.