Smooth deployment for second MARSIS antenna boom

The second 20-metre antenna boom of the MARSIS instrument on board Mars Express was successfully – and smoothly – deployed, confirmed today by the ground team at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre.
The command to deploy the second MARSIS boom was given to the spacecraft at 13:30 CEST on 14 June 2005.
Shortly before the deployment started, Mars Express was set into a slow rotation to last 30 minutes during and after the boom extension. This rotation allowed all the boom’s hinges to be properly heated by the Sun.

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<p><a href="http://www.physorg.com/news4588.html">Smooth deployment for second MARSIS antenna boom</a></p> <p>The second 20-metre antenna boom of the MARSIS instrument on board Mars Express was successfully – and smoothly – deployed, confirmed today by the ground team at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre. <br>The command to deploy the second MARSIS boom was given to the spacecraft at 13:30 CEST on 14 June 2005. <br>Shortly before the deployment started, Mars Express was set into a slow rotation to last 30 minutes during and after the boom extension. This rotation allowed all the boom’s hinges to be properly heated by the Sun.</p>