- Launch vehicle: Delta 7925
- Payload: MGS
- Launch date: 07 Nov 1996
- Launch site: CC LC17A
- Launch vehicle ID: D239
A Delta II rocket roared into the sky carrying the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft
for NASA. The spectacular afternoon display took place at 12:00:50 p.m.
EST, sending the spacecraft on its 10-month voyage to the Red Planet.
"Delta rockets have launched more than 70 scientific missions with NASA,"
said Darryl Van Dorn, Director of NASA and Commercial Delta programs. "We
continue that partnership with Mars Global Surveyor and the upcoming Mars
Pathfinder mission." Mars Global Surveyor is the first of two NASA
spacecraft to be launched toward Mars in 1996 aboard a Delta II rocket.
The Mars Global Surveyor holds a set of sophisticated remote-sensing
instruments to study the Red Planet's surface, magnetic fields, mineral
composition and atmosphere, creating a global portrait of Mars.
Ref: #7a, #71 - update: 25.04.09