Name: Mars Observer — Commercial Titan III
Start: 1992-09-25T17:05:01Z
End: 1992-09-25T17:05:01Z
Location: Space Launch Complex 40

Question 1

What rocket is launching Mars Observer?

Accepted Answer

Mars Observer is launching on the Commercial Titan III.

Question 2

Who is launching Mars Observer?

Accepted Answer

Mars Observer is being launched by Martin Marietta, a commercial launch provider founded in 1961.

Question 3

Where is Mars Observer launching from?

Accepted Answer

Mars Observer is launching from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA.

Question 4

What orbit is Mars Observer heading to?

Accepted Answer

Mars Observer is heading to Heliocentric N/A (Helio-N/A).

Question 5

Is the Commercial Titan III reusable?

Accepted Answer

No — the Commercial Titan III is an expendable launch vehicle.

Question 6

How many times has the Commercial Titan III flown?

Accepted Answer

The Commercial Titan III has launched 4 times to date, with 4 successful flights.

Question 7

What is the Mars Observer mission?

Accepted Answer

Mars Observer, the first of the Observer series of planetary missions, was designed to study the geoscience and climate of Mars.

Question 8

Where is Cape Canaveral Space Force Station?

Accepted Answer

Cape Canaveral Space Force Station sits on Florida's Atlantic coast, on the Eastern Range run by the U.S. Space Force's Space Launch Delta 45. It is the United States' busiest launch site and has been America's gateway to orbit since the 1950s.

Question 9

Which rockets launch from Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

SpaceX flies Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, and United Launch Alliance flies the Vulcan Centaur (and the retiring Atlas V) from Space Launch Complex 41.

Question 10

Is Cape Canaveral the same as the Kennedy Space Center?

Accepted Answer

No. Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center are separate, neighbouring sites — Kennedy is on Merritt Island just to the north. Together they make up Florida's 'Space Coast'.

Question 11

Why do rockets launch from Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

Its pads sit on the Eastern Range, letting rockets fly east out over the Atlantic toward the equatorial and geostationary orbits most commercial and national-security payloads need, away from populated land.

Question 12

Can you watch a launch from Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the Space Coast is one of the easiest places in the world to watch a launch from public land. Popular free spots include Playalinda Beach, Space View Park in Titusville, and Jetty Park at Port Canaveral.

Mars Observer

Overview

Mission details

Launch Window

Space Launch Complex 40

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Frequently asked questions