Erneut Jubel im Kontrollraum - MRO ist im korrekten Marsorbit. :-))
In den kommenden Monaten wird die jetzt noch langgestreckte 35-Stunden-Bahn durch 'airobreaking' schrittweise abgesenkt. Dann kann die Arbeit beginnen und MRO das bisher schärfste Kamera-Auge auf die Marsoberfläche richten.
2225 GMT (5:25 p.m. EST) = 23.25 MEZ
IN ORBIT! The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is truly an orbiter now after successfully swooping into orbit around the Red Planet today, mission control confirms!
2219 GMT (5:19 p.m. EST) = 23.19 MEZ
Deep Space Network tracking stations in Madrid, Spain and Goldstone, California have locked on the spacecraft's signal. It will take a few minutes for enough data to be received from the spacecraft via the low-data rate to determine state of health and the orbit achieved.
2217 GMT (5:17 p.m. EST) = 23.17 MEZ
It is a moment of relief and excitement in mission control. "Nice comm(unications) system, dude," one controller could be heard saying.
2216 GMT (5:16 p.m. EST) = 23.16 MEZ
CONTACT! Communications have been restarted with the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter!
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/mro/status.html
Gruß,
Gunnar