From: nospam@127.0.0.1   
      
   On 2/17/2021 10:23 PM, JF Mezei wrote:   
   > Exact text:   
   > Cruise Balance Masses [Ejected].   
   >   
   > Five minutes before entering the Martian atmosphere, the spacecraft   
   > drops 2 70kg balance masses in order to create the desired lift to drag   
   > ration.   
      
   Going strictly by name, I'm assuming those masses were there to balance   
   the spacecraft to make sure it's axis of rotation was stable along a   
   particular reference axis. During Martian cruise, the spacecraft is in   
   rotation. To insure that rotation is stable, without looking it up, I   
   presume some mass is used to offset other masses within the cruise stage   
   itself, along with the rest of the lander to make sure the axis of   
   rotation is stable.   
      
   Dave   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)