From: baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke) Newsgroups: sci.space.news Followup-To: sci.space.policy Subject: Mars Relay Flight Test - Public May Participate! Date: 27 Dec 1995 16:46:48 -0800 Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Message-ID: <28DEC199500533232@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov>
With the launch of Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) in November of 1996, NASA with begin a decade long exploration of the Red Planet. With the program managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), NASA plans to launch two spacecraft to Mars every alignment opportunity (approximately every two years). These missions will include a combination of orbiters and landers to explore Mars in a comprehensive and systematic way. To provide data communication capabilities between several of the landed systems to be placed on the surface of Mars and the spacecraft in orbit, many of the orbiters will carry UHF radio relays. MGS will carry such a relay, called the Mars Relay. The Mars Relay will provide communication support, at first, between several Russian small lander stations on the surface of Mars and the orbiting Mars Global Surveyor. Then future missions planned for launch in 1998 and beyond will also be able to exploit this relay on MGS for surface data return. During the Mars Global Surveyor Mission, JPL plans to perform a near-Earth test of the Mars Relay. Sometime around 20 to 30 days after launch of MGS in November of 1996, JPL will initiate a test of the Relay employing UHF communication equipment on the Earth. Because the Relay operates at frequencies in the 70 cm band, an opportunity exists for student and amateur participation in the near-Earth test of the Mars Relay. Using 70 cm antennas, individuals will be able to listen for a 1.3-watt beacon operating from the spacecraft on 437.1 MHz at a distance of 8 million kilometers (20 times the distance to the Moon) - the ultimate DX! Stay tuned to the Mars Global Surveyor Home Page for further details on how to participate in the test: http://mgs-www.jpl.nasa.gov/