File:KSC-05-S-00236 (ksc 081105 mro graf).webm

English: GEORGE DILLER: This is Atlas launch control at T minus 1 hour, 36 minutes, 23 seconds and counting. We're here with Jim Graf, the MRO project manager from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Jim, first of all, tell us how is MRO doing at this point in the countdown and what are they doing at this point in the countdown? JIM GRAF: Well, MRO is doing great. It's sitting atop the launch vehicle and it's talking to us and it's, everything is normal. All systems are go, and it's just a thoroughbred waiting to break the bonds that are holding it back. Release the reigns, let it get out of 1 G and get into space. DILLER: Any effects from the thunderstorm last night that you were able to tell? GRAF: Well, certainly we were very concerned about the thunderstorm and it came through. But we put in lightning suppression in the circuits and there was no damage whatsoever and the spacecraft is good to go..........DILLER: Couple of instruments here. GRAF: What you're looking at right now is a close-up of the spacecraft itself, and there are some pretty remarkable science instruments that are flying on the spacecraft. The first one, in yellow, is a 'context imager.' And any other spacecraft, this would be considered a high-resolution imager. It, it can resolve features on the surface that are about the size of a, about the size of a swimming pool or so. We also have, in the blue, is the, is the major instrument that we're flying in terms of imaging. It is called 'high rise' and it can resolve features on the surface that are about a yard across, so that from our 200 mile orbit, we're able to look down and start seeing features that are right there on the surface that will help us to understand more about how Mars evolved and, in addition, to identify places where we'd like to go and land. Our instruments suite is designed to actually determine where it is that we scientifically want to land, and where it's safe to land, so that we'll be conducting not only our science studies, but we'll be aiding in future landing missions and selecting our sites…….. DILLER: Let's kind of zero in on what's going to happen after spacecraft separation today. What, what is the very first thing that's going to happen as soon as spacecraft separation occurs? GRAF: The first thing we're going to do is the Atlas, we're expecting, to give us a wonderful ride and then to drop us off. But as they separate, they may, in fact, put a little bit of disturbances into the spacecraft. So, the first thing we're going to do is stop any rates that we don't like and just settle ourselves down. We immediately turn on the amplifier and start transmitting back to, back to Earth. So those two things will happen almost simultaneously, where we'll be calling home saying, 'Here we are, we've separated, we're okay.' Then the next thing we're going to do immediately is to get those solar arrays out. Right now we're on battery power, we start battery power at T MINUS4 minutes, and we're starting to discharge those batteries. And we have about four to six hours of energy in those batteries, and we want to try to get the solar arrays out as quickly as we can and get electricity flowing from those solar arrays so we can start charging those batteries. DILLER: Now to get our first signal acquisition, how are we going to hear through what station that we found it, it's there, we know it's alive. GRAF: Yea, here's actually two critical stations. There is a Japanese station that will be able to pick up the spacecraft just minutes after separation. Remember I said we were going to turn on that amplifier and start broadcasting, and that Japanese station is going to pick it up as soon as we come into the line of sight. For the Goldstone station, they will pick us up, and that's about 25 minutes after separation. So we are relying on the Japanese station for about 23 minutes or so to relay the data back through to us. DILLER: And then Goldstone follows immediately, or is there some overlap there? GRAF: There's overlap. Actually, the Japanese station covers us for hours. Goldstone will pick us up, they will cover us for an, for about four hours, and then Madrid will take, take over from Goldstone. DILLER: So actually, once we pick it up at about four minutes after separation, we'll be in continuous contact with it for the duration. GRAF: Yes we will. We'll be talking to it, we'll be listening and, I tell you, it'll be a real sigh of relief for everybody here when we know we've got power off the arrays, we've got good communication, uplink and downlink, and we got a good, stable spacecraft. It's going to be a wonderful feeling. But right now, it's just very tense waiting for the launch and waiting for that opportunity to talk with the spacecraft through our RF link. DILLER: Well, Jim, thank you very much. We're looking forward to the launch, as you are, and best of luck. GRAF: Thank you, George. DILLER: Thank you.