Timeline of Mars Science Laboratory: Difference between revisions

This is a chronological list of discovery, information, pictures, and videos about the [[Mars]] [[NASA]] [[Mars Science Laboratory|MSL]] [[Curiosity rover|Curiosity]] mission.

{| style="float: right;background: orange; color: black"

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! MSL Curiosity rover has spent

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! ''' <big> {{age in days|2012|08|06}} </big> '''

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! days on Mars

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==Before landing on Mars==

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! style="text-align: center; background: #aabccc;"|Date

! style="text-align: center; background: #aabccc;"|Event

! style="text-align: center; background: #aabccc;"|Notes

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|April 2004 || Mission proposals. || NASA called for proposals for the rover's scientific experiments and instruments. <ref name="Stathopoulos"> {{cite web |url=http://www.aerospaceguide.net/mars/science_laboratory.html |title=Mars Science Laboratory |accessdate=February 4, 2012 |last=Stathopoulos |first=Vic |date=October 2011 |work=Aerospace Guide}}</ref> Launch was proposed for September 2009.<ref name= 'Idaho National Laboratory'> {{cite web | url= https://inlportal.inl.gov/portal/server.pt/community/newsroom/257/feature_story_details/1269?featurestory=DA_584674 | title = Mars Science Laboratory team accomplishes mission goal by working together | accessdate = 2012-08-12 | first = Teri Ehresman | author = INL | publisher = Idaho National Laboratory}}</ref><ref name='NASAfacts'> {{cite web | url = http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/482645main_MSL%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf | title = NASA Facts - MSL | accessdate = 2012-08-13 | format = PDF | work = NASA}}</ref>

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|December 14, 2004 || Instruments selected. || Eight proposals were selected, including instruments from Russia and Spain.<ref name='NASAfacts'/>

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| December 2004 || Design and testing of components began. ||

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| November 2008 || Most hardware and software development were completed.<ref name="usra">[http://www.lpi.usra.edu/pss/jan92009/presentations/mslTechnicalCook.pdf MSL Technical and Replan Status]. Richard Cook. (January 9, 2009)</ref> || Testing continues.

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| December 2008 || Launch rescheduled for November 2011. || Delay due to insufficient time for testing and integration.<ref name='audit2011'> {{cite web | url = http://oig.nasa.gov/audits/reports/FY11/IG-11-019.pdf | title = Audit Report: NASA’S MANAGEMENT OF THE MARS SCIENCE LABORATORY PROJECT | accessdate = 2012-08-13 | date = 8 June 2011 | work = OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL | publisher = NASA | quote = REPORT NO. IG-11-019}}</ref>

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| July 22, 2011 || Landing site selection || [[Gale (crater)|Gale Crater]] selected, as its deep [[alluvial fan]] is where ancient water shed debris from the crater’s rim and nearby [[Aeolis Mons]] peak.<ref> {{cite news | title = Curiosity Mission Could Reveal Mars’ Deepest Secrets | date = 2 August 2011 | url = http://tamutimes.tamu.edu/tag/mars/ | work = Texas A & M University | accessdate = 2012-08-13}}</ref>

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<br />

===November 2011===

====November 26 - Launch from Earth====

[[File:MSL Launches to the Red Planet.ogg|left|thumb|350px| November 26, 2011 15:02:00.211 UTC<ref>{{cite web |title=NASA - Multimedia - Video Gallery |url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/news/msl20120810.html|publisher=Nasa.gov|date=2010-04-28|accessdate=2012-08-10}}</ref>]]

[[File:606779main msl20111126b-br2.jpg|thumb|right|350px|[[NASA|NASA's]] [[Mars Science Laboratory]] spacecraft, sealed inside its payload fairing atop the [[United Launch Alliance]] [[Atlas V]] rocket, clears the tower at [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 41|Space Launch Complex 41]] on [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station]] in [[Florida]].<ref>[http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=3776 Mars Science Laboratory: Images]</ref>]]<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

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====November 28 - Separation====

[[File:Msl20111128 640.ogv|left|frame|30x300px|The Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft separates from the upper stage of its Atlas V launch vehicle and heads on its way to Mars.<ref>[http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/video/index.cfm?id=1040 Video: Curiosity Heads to Mars - NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory]</ref>]]

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{| class="wikitable"

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! style="text-align: center; background: #aabccc;"|Date

! style="text-align: center; background: #aabccc;"|Event

! style="text-align: center; background: #aabccc;"|Notes

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| December 13, 2011 || ''Curiosity'' rover begins monitoring space radiation environment en route to Mars.<ref name="space"> [http://www.space.com/16385-curiosity-rover-mars-science-laboratory.html MSL - Highlights] Space.com</ref> ||

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| January 11, 2012 || First trajectory correction. <ref name="space"/> ||

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| March 26, 2012 || Second trajectory correction.<ref name="space"/> ||

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| June 26, 2012 || Third trajectory correction.<ref name="space"/> ||

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| July 28, 2012 || Fourth and last trajectory correction maneuver.<ref name='TrajecoryCorrectons'> {{cite web | url = http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1292 | title = Status Report - Curiosity's Daily Update | accessdate = 2012-08-13 | date = 6 August 2012 | publisher = NASA | quote = This morning, flight controllers decided to forgo the sixth and final opportunity on the mission calendar for a course-correction maneuver.}}</ref> || Mission design allowed for a maximum of 6 trajectory correction opportunities.<ref name='TrajecoryCorrectons'/>

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==Landing on Mars==

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! style="text-align: center; background: #aabccc;"|Date

! style="text-align: center; background: #aabccc;"|Event

! style="text-align: center; background: #aabccc;"|Notes

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| August 6, 2012 || Automated precision landing at 05:17:57 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] || Successful landing confirmed simultaneously by monitoring Mars orbiters. ''Curiosity'' landed on target and only {{convert|2.4|km|mi}} from its center.<ref> {{cite news | first = Jonathan | last = Amos | title = Curiosity rover made near-perfect landing | date = 11 August 2012 | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19219782 | work = BBC News | accessdate = 2012-08-14}}</ref> Some low resolution images were beamed to Earth by relay orbiters.<ref name='First Hours'> {{cite news | title = Mars Rover Beams Back Images Showing Its Descent | date = 6 AUgust 2012 | url = http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/news/msl20120806c.html | work = NASA | accessdate = 2012-08-15}}</ref>

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| August 6, 2012 || Status report. || Hours after landing, the rover begins to beam detailed data on its systems' status as well as on its entry, descent and landing experience. <ref name='First Hours'/>

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<gallery>

File:Curiosity's Descent.ogv|The Curiosity Mars Descent Imager (MARDI) captured the rover's descent to the surface of Mars. The instrument shot 4 fps video from heatshield separation to the ground.<ref>http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/video/index.cfm?id=1106</ref>

File:0000MD9999000036E1 DXXX.jpg|This image was taken by Mars Descent Imager (MARDI) onboard NASA's Mars rover Curiosity on Sol 0 (2012-08-06 05:15:30 UTC).<ref>http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0000MD9999000036E1_DXXX&s=0</ref>

File:MRO sees Curiosity landing.jpg|NASA's Curiosity rover and its parachute were spotted by NASA's [[Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter]] as Curiosity descended to the surface on 5 Aug 2012 PDT (6 Aug EDT).<ref>http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/multimedia/pia15978b.html</ref>

File:Milkovich-1ANNOTATED-pia16001-br2.jpg|The four main pieces of hardware that arrived on Mars with NASA's Curiosity rover were spotted by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).<ref>http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4299</ref>

</gallery>

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{{Wide image|PIA16056hl.jpg|3000px|<center>This color-enhanced view — taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) on NASA's [[Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter]] as the satellite flew overhead — shows the terrain around the rover's landing site within Gale Crater on Mars. Colors were enhanced to bring out subtle differences.<ref>[http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4454 Mars Science Laboratory: Images]</ref>}}

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[[File:Cheering hq msl20120805-br2.jpg|left|thumb|360px|Engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, celebrate the landing of NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars.<ref>[http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4208 Mars Science Laboratory: Images]</ref>]]

[[File:Cheering-full-br2.jpg|right|thumb|360px|The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) team in the MSL Mission Support Area react after learning the the Curiosity rove has landed safely on Mars and images start coming in at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory on Mars.<ref>[http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4210 Mars Science Laboratory: Images]</ref>]] <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

The following data were compiled by Curiosity's Entry, Descent and Landing team at [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory|NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory]] in [[Pasadena]], [[California]]. It provides a timeline of critical mission events that occurred on the evening of August 5 PDT (early on August 6 EDT).<ref>[http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/news/edl20120809.html NASA - Timeline Mission Milestones During Curiosity's Landing]</ref>

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! Event !! Time of Event Occurrence at [[Mars]] ([[PDT]]) !! Time Event Occurrence Received on [[Earth]] (PDT)

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| Atmospheric entry || 10:10:45.7 PM || 10:24:33.8 PM

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| Parachute deployment || 10:15:04.9 PM || 10:28:53.0 PM

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| Heat shield separation || 10:15:24.6 PM || 10:29:12.7 PM

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| Rover lowered by the sky crane || 10:17:38.6 PM ||10:31:26.7 PM

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| Touchdown || 10:17:57.3 PM || 10:31:45.4 PM

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[[File:675608main edl20120809-full.jpg|770px]]

Curiosity's EDL team releases a timeline for mission milestones (depicted in this artist's concept) surrounding the landing of the Mars rover.

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==After landing on Mars==

===Surface mission start===

{{Main|MSL Curiosity mission Sol 0}}

{{Main|MSL Curiosity mission Sol 1}}

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{{Main|MSL Curiosity mission Sol 14}}

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== Planned events ==

{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto;width: 100%"

! style="margin; background: #FF6700;" colspan="4" | '''August 2012'''

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! style="text-align: center; background: #F4C430;"|Date

! style="text-align: center; background: #F4C430;"|Event

! style="text-align: center; background: #F4C430;"|Notes

! style="text-align: center; background: #F4C430;"|Status

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| style="text-align: center;" scope="col" width="60" | 10-13 August || style="text-align: center;" scope="col" width="120" | Software update || NASA's Mars rover Curiosity will spend its first weekend on Mars transitioning to software better suited for tasks ahead, such as driving and using its robotic arm. The rover's change of operating software will occur during a series of steps August 10 through August 13. This software for Mars surface operations was uploaded to the rover's memory during the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft's flight from Earth.<ref>[http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/news/msl20120810.html NASA - NASA Curiosity Mars Rover Installing Smarts for Driving]</ref> || style="background: green; text-align: center;" | {{White| '''Success Complete''' <ref>[http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1309 Mars Science Laboratory: NASA Hosts Teleconference About Curiosity Rover Progess]</ref>}}

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==Sol==

{{Main|Timekeeping on Mars}}

The term sol is used by planetary astronomers to refer to the duration of a solar day on Mars.<ref>[http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/images/pia01892.html NASA - Opportunity's View, Sol 959 (Vertical)]</ref> A mean Martian solar day, or "sol", is 24 hours, 39 minutes, and 35.244 seconds.<ref>[http://www.giss.nasa.gov/tools/mars24/help/notes.html NASA GISS: Technical Notes on Mars Solar Time]

</ref>

==See also==

* [[Mars]]

* [[Exploration of Mars]]

* [[NASA Missions]]

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