History of the Delta Launch Vehicle

Archive for 2007

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21-Jan-07 | NRO L-21 may have failed

Reuters reports that a National Reconnaissance Office satellite, believed to be the one launched in December by the most recent Delta II, has suffered “a comprehensive failure” and is likely to be a complete loss. According to the article, “U.S. officials were working to reestablish contact with the satellite because of the importance of the new technology it was meant to test and demonstrate,” although what this new technology may be remains wholly unspecified. Because the Delta rocket delivered the spacecraft into its appropriate orbit, and the failure lies within the payload hardware, the launch is still considered a success.

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21-Jan-07 | Mars Global Surveyor lost; mission ends

Having explored all possible options for regaining communications with the Mars Global Surveyor, NASA has conceded that the mission has been lost. (NASA Press Release, 21-Nov-06) Preliminary reports suggest that a combination of software and operator error allowed one solar panel to be turned against its hard stops, sending the spacecraft into safe mode. At that point it was oriented with its battery pointed toward the Sun; the battery overheated and expired. A formal review board has been convened to determine both the events and management processes that allowed this to occur. (NASA Press Release, 10-Jan-07)

Meanwhile, images from MGS continue to provide new discoveries, such as the annoucement that water still flows in brief spurts on Mars’ surface. (NASA Press Release, 06-Dec-06)

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17-Jan-07 | Note from the editor

For 2007, the News page has been replaced with an RSS-active news feed. The news archives have been transferred into it.

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