Report: NASA cancels Mars telecom orbiter mission
Posted: Fri, Jul 22, 2005, 10:38 AM ET (1438 GMT)
NASA has cancelled plans to build a communications satellite that would orbit Mars and serve as a relay for future missions, a Denver newspaper reported Friday. According to the report in the Rocky Mountain News, NASA decided last week to cancel the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter spacecraft in an effort to cut costs. The $500-million spacecraft was to launch in 2009 and go into orbit around Mars; once there, it would act as a relay for future missions, allowing high-bandwidth communications between Earth and spacecraft on Mars. MTO would also have tested laser communications links that promised to significantly increase the amount of data that could be transmitted to Earth. Lockheed Martin had been in negotiations with NASA for a contract to build the spacecraft. Instead, NASA now plans to use the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, scheduled for launch next month, as a communications relay once its prime mission is completed.
NASA has cancelled plans to build a communications satellite that would orbit Mars and serve as a relay for future missions, a Denver newspaper reported Friday. According to the report in the Rocky Mountain News, NASA decided last week to cancel the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter spacecraft in an effort to cut costs. The $500-million spacecraft was to launch in 2009 and go into orbit around Mars; once there, it would act as a relay for future missions, allowing high-bandwidth communications between Earth and spacecraft on Mars. MTO would also have tested laser communications links that promised to significantly increase the amount of data that could be transmitted to Earth. Lockheed Martin had been in negotiations with NASA for a contract to build the spacecraft. Instead, NASA now plans to use the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, scheduled for launch next month, as a communications relay once its prime mission is completed.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, August 18
U.S. Navy military sealift command awards Inmarsat Government 10-year, $578 million next generation wideband follow-on contract
Inmarsat — 6:18 am ET (1018 GMT) Britain’s biggest satellite company wins $500m US Navy contract
The Daily Telegraph — 6:17 am ET (1017 GMT) The US needs a plan for space operations and national security
The Hill — 6:17 am ET (1017 GMT) A private company wants to look for life just above Venus
Popular Science — 6:15 am ET (1015 GMT) Rocket Lab reveals more about mission to Venus, cops upgrade and downgrade
New Zealand Herald — 6:14 am ET (1014 GMT) |
