Blog Archive

MAVEN with solar panels open in the clean room for the last time

NASA's MAVEN Mission Spared from Shutdown
Launch preparations will resume

Posted by Casey Dreier on 2013/10/03 04:40 CDT | 3 comments

Launch preparations will resume for NASA's MAVEN spacecraft, due to launch to Mars on November 18th. Work had previously been suspended, potentially causing the spacecraft to miss its once-every-26-month launch opportunity.

[Updated] A Government Shutdown Could Delay MAVEN's Launch to Mars

Posted by Casey Dreier on 2013/09/30 05:17 CDT | 2 comments

NASA confirmed that a government shutdown could affect pre-launch processing of the MAVEN spacecraft, currently scheduled to launch to Mars on November 18th.

Taking a close look at MAVEN assembly and testing videos

Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2013/09/11 06:33 CDT | 1 comments

I noticed something funny while examining MAVEN assembly and testing videos.

China Goes to the Moon and Beyond?
A Conversation with Space Journalist Leonard David

Posted by Mat Kaplan on 2013/08/27 01:06 CDT

Planetary Radio guest Leonard David has been writing about space exploration for more than five decades. He has collected analysis from around the world about China's big plans for space exploration.

Photo gallery: MAVEN being prepped for launch

Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2013/08/21 04:56 CDT | 2 comments

Watching MAVEN go through its final launch preparations via the photo gallery at the Kennedy Media Archive.

The road to Mars: updates on NASA's MAVEN and India's Mars Orbiter Mission

Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2013/07/29 08:00 CDT | 3 comments

The 2013 launch window for Mars is fast approaching. November represents the next chance to send spacecraft to the Red Planet; the next window doesn't open until early 2016. So NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are working hard to prepare their respective Mars missions for launch.

What's Up in the Solar System diagram by Olaf Frohn (updated for October 2013)

Looking ahead to spacecraft activities in 2013

Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2013/01/04 01:09 CST | 3 comments

2013 is going to be a busy year in space exploration. Two missions launch to the Moon (LADEE and Chang'E 3), and another two to Mars (MAVEN and India's mission). Curiosity should drive to the Mountain, and Opportunity to the next site on Endeavour's rim. Cassini will be seeing rings and Titan. Others should continue routine operations, except maybe MESSENGER, whose fate after March is not yet decided.

Mars Program Update from MEPAG

Posted by Bruce Betts on 2012/10/05 06:30 CDT | 1 comments

Bruce Betts reports on the status of the current and future Mars program and on acronyms from a meeting of NASA's MEPAG (Mars Exploration Analysis Program Analysis Group).