Mars Exploration Rover Status Week Ending May 24, 2003

We’re less than two weeks from our first launch now, and the final
preparation of the hardware for flight is almost done. The big event
of this past week was the mating of the MER-A spacecraft to the third
stage of the Delta II rocket. This isn’t done out at the launch pad.

Instead, they bring the whole third stage of the Delta indoors, into
what’s called the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at Kennedy
Space Center. The fact that they bring a whole live rocket motor into
the room is why it’s called the hazardous servicing facility! The
MER-A spacecraft, which will be the first to launch, was mated to the
third stage on Friday, without a hitch.

And early this coming week the
whole spacecraft-plus-third-stage “stack” will be driven slowly and
carefully out to launch pad 17A, hoisted up the tower by a big crane,
and mounted on top of the rocket.