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The plan was to drive the MOC and its supporting test equipment to Denver, Colorado, where Lockheed Martin Astronautics is building the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft. In order to beat the Monday-morning, post-holiday traffic, departure was at 6:00 AM, heading east (against the commuter flow). Three vehicles made the trip in convoy: Ed and Doug were the designated drivers of the truck. Mike and Jeff drove the "nonsmoking escort car," while Jose, Steve, and Rick Stiebel (MOC/JPL Quality Assurance Engineer) drove in the "smoking" van.
Day 1:
Pasadena, California to Gallup, New MexicoCaption: First day's drive, from Pasadena, CA to Gallup, NM.
Upper Right: A typical view of the desert between Barstow and Needles, CA, heading east on I-40.
Middle Left: Driving down into the Colorado River valley outside of Needles, before crossing into Arizona. The "smoking van" was stopped by the California Highway Patrol between Needles and the border--seems "someone" wasn't wearing his seat belts.
Middle Right: Across the border in Arizona, driving north towards Kingman.
Lower Right: Elevation ~5000 feet, a few miles out of Williams.
Day 2: Gallup, New Mexico
to Denver, ColoradoOn the road at 6:00 AM, temperature 11° F. Driving into the sun from Gallup to Albuquerque. Stopped for breakfast, then headed north on I-25.
Caption: Second day's drive, from Gallup, NM to Denver, CO.
Upper Right: The "plains" between Las Vegas (NM) and Springer. Started seeing patches of snow on the ground.
Lower Left: Lots of snow on the ground between Wagon Mound and Springer, but by the time we got to Raton, there wasn't any on the ground.
Lower Right: Entering Colorado just north of Raton.
Day 3: To Lockheed
MartinWe checked in with Greg Heinsohn (LMA Payload Engineer) and got the word to show up around 8:30 AM.
Caption: Transporting to LMA.
Upper Left: On State 120 (Wadsworth Blvd.), heading south past Chatsfield Reservoir towards the LMA entrance.
Lower Left: The road ends at Lockheed Martin. This is the entrance (the guard gate and visitor's building where badges are issued is around the corner).
Lower Right: The MOC was met by Greg Heinsohn (not pictured), Carl Kloss (JPL Payload Engineer, standing on the loading dock), and Mike Clawson (JPL Resident QA, directing Danielson).
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