Miriam launched into space - almost dies there

[miriam_e]

German Mars Society's MIRIAM Partially Successful in Oct. 22 Launch

MIRIAM was launched to a 175km peak altitude from the SSC ESRANGE rocket test site near Kiruna, North Sweden on October 22nd, 2008. It rode on top of the REXUS4 sounding rocket managed and built by the EuroLaunch Consortium of the DLR Moraba group of Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany and ESA.

Unfortunately, after a trouble-free testing period leading up to a picture perfect launch, one of MIRIAM's main interlock bolts jammed upon release. Miriam therefore got stuck on the rocket, which subsequently led to the balloon's clamp ring sticking as well. With the stuck clamp ring, the inflation systems deck started to pressurize a still packed balloon, until overpressure pushed the inflation hose off the hose clamp assembly.

The flight system finally released from the rocket, but far too late. And with the deployment coil springs almost fully extended, it also came off far too slowly, eventually colliding with the rocket's payload section. Unintentionally positive however, the collision caused the stuck clamp ring to come off, causing a rapid deployment of our partly pressurized balloon. Because the balloon is only attached to the inflation systems deck at the inflation hose clamp assembly, the balloon was immediately set free, but with little over 10% of its intended amount of filling gas.

All other subsystems functioned nominally and behaved just like they did during tests.

Despite the balloon being deployed and released, the mission was deemed only partly successful, as the deployment came unintentional and uncontrolled, and because the balloon did not carry its intended amount of inflation gas.

The reason why one of the main interlocks failed is a matter of investigation. This behavior was never observed during tests.

All subsystems of the REXUS-4 rocket have worked beautifully, exactly as predicted and right on time. We therefore owe EuroLaunch as well as the entire crew on ESRANGE great thanks for a beautiful flight, their outstanding technical support and a rocket as precise as clockwork.

While at it, we would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to this mission, no matter how small the contribution was, since every contribution helped us getting off the pad!

ARCHIMEDES is an effort to probe the atmosphere of planet Mars by means of a hypersonic drag balloon, a device known as a "ballute". The project is currently under study, proposed and supported by the Mars Society Germany, the Universität der Bundeswehr München, the AMSAT-DL .e.V. organization, the DLR, and several other research institutions and industrial companies. The probe is planned to be integrated into the AMSAT's P5-A Mars satellite, and to be released from the spacecraft when in orbit around the planet.

To obtain more information please feel free to direct inquiries to the German Mars Society - an independent organization affiliated with the International Mars Society - at either hg@marssociety.de or hannes.griebel@unibw.de. More information and pictures also available at the German Mars Society's web site. http://www.marssociety.de/html/