I’m going on a quick trip to JPL for tomorrow’s Mars Reconaissance Orbiter (MRO) Mars Orbit Insertion (MOI). Translation: MRO is arriving at Mars and will burn its engine to slow down enough to be captured by Mars’s gravity and go into orbit around the red planet. We leave in a couple hours, and get back late tomorrow night.
I’m very excited to have the opportunity to watch the manuever live at JPL. If all goes as planned, MRO will begin its burn at 1:24 p.m. Pacific time and continue burning as it goes behind the planet, cutting off the engine at 1:51. JPL flight controllers will get confirmation at 2:16 p.m. Pacific time (also known as 4:16 p.m. for those in Houston, and 5:16 p.m. for those on the east coast) when MRO emerges from behind Mars.
Watch on NASA TV or online if you’re interested!
