February 24, 2003
George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center
321/867-2468
KSC Release No.: 21-03
FIRST MARS EXPLORATION ROVER ARRIVES AT KSC TO BEGIN PREPARATION FOR LAUNCH
The first of two Mars Exploration Rovers, MER-2 arrived at the Kennedy Space
Center today from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. The
cruise stage, aeroshell and lander for the Mars Exploration Rover-1 mission
also arrived today. This same flight hardware for the MER-2 rover arrived
January 27, however this rover is scheduled to arrive at KSC around March
10.
The Boeing Delta II vehicle for the first launch of the two launches
scheduled on May 25 is planned for erection on the pad at Space Launch
Complex 17 beginning April 18. The Delta for the second launch on June 30
will begin erection activities on May 1. Each spacecraft will receive a
MER-A or MER-B designation once they arrive at the pad.
While at KSC, each of the two rovers, the aeroshells and the landers will
undergo a full mission simulation. All of these flight elements will then
be integrated together. After spin balance testing, each spacecraft will be
mated to a solid propellant upper stage booster that will propel the
spacecraft out of Earth orbit. Approximately ten days before launch they
will be transported to the launch pad for mating with their respective
Boeing Delta II rockets.
The rovers will serve as robotic geologists to seek answers about the
evolution of Mars, particularly for a history of water.
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