Atlas V Rocket’s ‘Wet Dress Rehearsal’
The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket stands at Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida during a "wet dress rehearsal." The test called for the launch vehicle to be fully loaded with propellants and put through a countdown procedure, ending just before the T-0 mark. The spacecraft is undergoing prelaunch processing activities in the Kennedy Space Center's Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility and was not atop the rocket for this rehearsal. The Atlas V rocket is slated to launch the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, spacecraft on a journey to the Red Planet on Nov. 18.
Prepping MAVEN at Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility
Inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, engineers and technicians prepare the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, spacecraft for encapsulation inside its payload fairing.
Officials Discuss MAVEN Launch Prep
During a news conference at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, agency and contractor officials discussed preparations for the launch of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN, or MAVEN, mission. Participating in the briefing, from the left, are George Diller of NASA Public Affairs, Geoffrey Yoder, NASA deputy associate administrator of programs in the Science Mission Directorate, Omar Baez, NASA launch director, Vernon Thorp, program manager for NASA Missions with United Launch Alliance in Centennial, Colo., David Mitchell, NASA's MAVEN project manager at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., Guy Beutelschies, Lockheed Martin's MAVEN project manager and Clay Flinn, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
MAVEN Press Briefing: John Grunsfeld Discusses Upcoming Launch
John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, D.C., discusses the upcoming launch of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission, at a press conference at NASA Headquarters in Washington on Monday, Oct. 28, 2013. MAVEN is the agency's next mission to Mars and the first devoted to understanding the upper atmosphere of the Red Planet.
MAVEN Press Briefing: Grunsfeld Introduces Panel
John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington, introduces a panel to discuss the upcoming launch of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission, at a press conference at NASA Headquarters in Washington on Monday, Oct. 28, 2013.
MAVEN Press Briefing Panel
From left to right: Dwayne Brown, NASA Public Affairs Officer, Jim Green, director, Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters, Lisa May, MAVEN program executive, NASA Headquarters, Kelly Fast, MAVEN program scientist, NASA Headquarters, Bruce Jakosky, MAVEN principal investigator, University of Colorado Boulder Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, and David Mitchell, MAVEN project manager, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. discuss the upcoming launch of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission, at a press conference at NASA Headquarters in Washington on Monday, Oct. 28, 2013.
MAVEN Press Briefing: Jim Green Discusses Launch
Jim Green, director, Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters, discusses the upcoming launch of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission, at a press conference at NASA Headquarters in Washington on Monday, Oct. 28, 2013.
Kelly Fast Discusses Upcoming MAVEN Launch
Kelly Fast, MAVEN program scientist, NASA Headquarters, discusses the upcoming launch of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission, at a press conference at NASA Headquarters in Washington on Monday, Oct. 28, 2013.
Bruce Jakosky Talks on Upcoming MAVEN Launch
Bruce Jakosky, MAVEN principal investigator, University of Colorado Boulder Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, discusses the upcoming launch of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission, at a press conference at NASA Headquarters in Washington on Monday, Oct. 28, 2013.
Model of MAVEN Spacecraft
A model of the MAVEN spacecraft is pictured during a press conference for the upcoming launch of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission, at NASA Headquarters in Washington on Monday, Oct. 28, 2013.
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.
