NASA Proceeds With MAVEN Mission Despite Federal Shutdown

NASA will proceed with its next mission to Mars scheduled for launch on Nov. 18, despite the federal shutdown. 

The space agency officials have analyzed the MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatile Evolution) mission and determined that MAVEN meets the requirements allowing an emergency. This announcement was made by Maven Principal Investigator Bruce Jakosky.

MAVEN is needed as a communication relay in to order to assure the continued contact with the two rovers namely the Curiosity and Opportunity rovers that are currently supported by Mars Odyssey that was launched in 2001 and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter that was launched in 2005.

By launching MAVEN in 2013, they can guard the current assets that are at Mars.

The launch period runs till December 15 without any impact on the combined science and relay activities. But if there are further delays, MAVEN can only be launched in 2016 when Earth aligns itself well with Mars. This delay means need for more fuel to get into the orbit. This would lead to insufficient fuel for MAVEN to carry its science mission and function as a relay for any significant time.

"Although the exception for MAVEN is not being done for science reasons, the science of MAVEN clearly will benefit from this action," Jakosky said. "Launching in 2013 allows us to observe at a good time in the eleven-year solar cycle. We have restarted spacecraft processing at Kennedy Space Center, working toward being ready to launch on Nov.18. We will continue to work over the next couple of days to identify any changes in our schedule or plans that are necessary to stay on track."

The launch of MAVEN was welcomed by other science community members.

"Wow, that's good news," UCLA planetary scientist David Paige, who was not involved in the mission, said. "The whole notion that they wouldn't launch this thing is just appalling. You have this whole rocket almost on the launchpad."