Curiositys Fairing Acoustic Protection
by NASA and Kim Shiflett
Title
Curiositys Fairing Acoustic Protection
Artist
NASA and Kim Shiflett
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
CAPE CANAVERAL, FL. In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the fairing acoustic protection (FAP) system lines the inside of the Atlas V payload fairing for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission. This half of the fairing has been uncovered during preparations to clean it to meet NASA's planetary protection requirements. The FAP protects the payload by dampening the sound created by the rocket during lift-off. The fairing will protect the spacecraft from the impact of aerodynamic pressure and heating during ascent. Although jettisoned once the spacecraft is outside the Earth's atmosphere, the fairing must be cleaned to the same exacting standards as the laboratory to avoid the possibility of contaminating it. MSL's components include a compact car-sized rover, Curiosity, which has 10 science instruments designed to search for evidence on whether Mars has had environments favorable to microbial life, including the chemical ingredients for life. The unique rover will use a laser to look inside rocks and release its gasses so that the rover's spectrometer can analyze and send the data back to Earth. Launch of MSL aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is planned for Nov. 25 from Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Uploaded
May 30th, 2013
Statistics
Viewed 1,526 Times - Last Visitor from Wilmington, DE on 04/22/2024 at 7:06 AM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet
Comments
There are no comments for Curiositys Fairing Acoustic Protection. Click here to post the first comment.