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Mars Pathfinder Update - March 10, 1998
- To: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com
- Subject: Mars Pathfinder Update - March 10, 1998
- From: Ron Baalke <BAALKE@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov>
- Date: Tue, 10 Mar 1998 20:12:53 GMT
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Mars Pathfinder Update
March 10, 1998
Today starting at 10:00 AM PST we will make our final attempt to contact
Pathfinder.
10:15 AM - The high efficiency 34 meter Deep Space Network (DSN Station #15)
antenna located in Goldstone California is currently attempting to lock onto
a carrier signal using a Block 5 receiver. Mars is currently 2.35
Astronomical Units (AU), or 351 million kilometers away from Earth. The one
way light time is 19.8 minutes. The first command will be sent at 10:51 AM
PST
10:39 AM - At 10:51 AM PST we will send a command to Pathfinder to activate
an onboard sequence designed to turn on the primary Pathfinder transmitter.
Since the one way light time is 19.8 minutes, we will have to wait for
approximately 40 minutes before we can expect a response from Pathfinder,
assuming the command was received and the sequence activated.
10:53 AM - The command to activate the onboard sequence is now being
radiated to Pathfinder.
11:22 AM - We are now waiting to receive the signal. Mars is currently 49.2
degrees above the horizon at the Goldstone DSN station located in the Mojave
desert in southern California.
11:35 AM - We should have heard the signal by now, but we have not. We will
sweep for the carrier for 50 minutes.