Launch and Early Operation of the MESSENGER Mission |
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Authors: | Mark E Holdridge Andrew B Calloway |
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Institution: | (1) The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA |
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Abstract: | On August 3, 2004, at 2:15 a.m. EST, the MESSENGER mission to Mercury began with liftoff of the Delta II 7925H launch vehicle
and 1,107-kg spacecraft including seven instruments. MESSENGER is the seventh in the series of NASA Discovery missions, the
third to be built and operated by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) following the Near Earth
Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) Shoemaker and Comet Nucleus Tour (CONTOUR) missions. The MESSENGER team at JHU/APL is using efficient
operations approaches developed in support of the low-cost NEAR and CONTOUR operations while incorporating improved approaches
for reducing total mission risk. This paper provides an overview of the designs and operational practices implemented to conduct
the MESSENGER mission safely and effectively. These practices include proven approaches used on past JHU/APL operations and
new improvements implemented to reduce risk, including adherence to time-proven standards of conduct in the planning and implementation
of the mission. This paper also discusses the unique challenges of operating in orbit around Mercury, the closest planet to
the Sun, and what specific measures are being taken to address those challenges. |
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Keywords: | Mercury MESSENGER Mission operations |
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