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Space

Concern about antenna mechanism may postpone Mars mapping

Mars
The pictures of Mars that NASA receives show many features, like this crater, similar to Earth's moon  
August 11, 1998
Web posted at: 10:55 p.m. EDT (0255 GMT)

PASADENA, California (CNN) -- The deployment of the Mars Global Surveyor could be postponed for nine months due to concerns over the mechanism that extends its communications antenna.

NASA engineers don't know if anything is wrong with the specific mechanism aboard the spacecraft, but they recently learned of problems with similar devices, the space agency said.

If the device is damaged, it could prevent the spacecraft from communicating with its controllers on Earth.

The dish-shaped antenna was stowed for launch and the early orbital phase of the mission. It was to be deployed on a 6.6-foot boom before the prime mapping mission begins in March.

NASA hoped to tilt the antenna on the long boom this week but were afraid it would break off. The surveyor was using the antenna in the undeployed position to send back images and data.

But that requires storing data on an onboard recorder, then turning the entire spacecraft periodically to transmit to Earth. That would cause gaps in coverage during the mapping mission.

rule Mars Pathfinder Link

Mars Board | Surveyor | Pathfinder | Future Missions | Interact | Multiplex

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