Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
hideNASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is a multipurpose spacecraft designed to conduct reconnaissance and exploration of Mars from orbit.
When MRO entered orbit there were five other spacecraft in orbit of or on Mars: Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Express, Mars Odyssey, and two Mars Exploration Rovers; a then record for most spacecraft operational in Mars vicinity. The $720 million USD spacecraft was built by Lockheed Martin under the supervision of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It was launched August 12, 2005, and attained Martian orbit on March 10, 2006. In November 2006, after five months of aerobraking, it entered its final science orbit and began its primary science phase.
MRO contains a host of scientific instruments such as cameras, spectrometers, and radar, which are used to analyze the landforms, stratigraphy, minerals, and ice of Mars. It paves the way for future spacecraft by monitoring daily weather and surface conditions, studying potential landing sites, and hosting a new telecommunications system. MRO's telecommunications system will transfer more data back to Earth than all previous interplanetary missions combined, and MRO will serve as a highly capable relay satellite for future missions.
For more information about Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
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News tagged with mars reconnaissance orbiter
Gullies and Flow Features on Crater Wall
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
9 hours ago |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- This image from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows a sample of the variety and complexity of processes that may occur ...
Mars Reconnaissance Orbite Team Plans Uplink of Protective Files
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Nov 25, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- The team operating NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter plans to uplink protective files to the spacecraft next week as one step toward resuming the orbiter's research and relay activities.
New Set of High-Resolution Mars Images Online
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Oct 08, 2009 |
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Thousands of image products from 233 recent telescopic observations by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter show a diversity of surface shapes and textures on Mars.
Scientists see water ice in fresh meteorite craters on Mars
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Sep 24, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists are seeing sub-surface water ice that may be 99 percent pure halfway between the north pole and the equator on Mars, thanks to quick-turnaround observations from orbit of fresh ...
Radar Map of Buried Mars Layers Matches Climate Cycles
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Sep 22, 2009 |
4.3 / 5 (7) |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- New, three-dimensional imaging of Martian north-polar ice layers by a radar instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is consistent with theoretical models of Martian climate swings ...
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter: Preventive Care Continues; Science on Hold
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Sep 04, 2009 |
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During analysis of four safe-mode events this year, engineers for NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter project have identified a vulnerability to the effects of subsequent events.
Thousands of New Images Show Mars in High Resolution
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Sep 03, 2009 |
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Thousands of newly released images from more than 1,500 telescopic observations by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter show a wide range of gullies, dunes, craters, geological layering and other features on ...
Mars Orbiter in Safe Mode Increases Communication Rate
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Aug 31, 2009 |
4.8 / 5 (5) |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Engineers for NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter project have stepped up the communication rate being received from the orbiter as an early step in the process of determining why the spacecraft ...
Mars Orbiter Puts Itself in Safe Mode Again
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Aug 27, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter put itself into a safe mode Wednesday morning, Aug. 26, for the fourth time this year, while maintaining spacecraft health and communications. While in safe ...
Dust Storm Passing Over Spirit
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Aug 26, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- The amount of electricity generated by the solar panels on Spirit has been declining for the past several Martian days, or sols, as a regional dust storm moved southward and blocked some of ...
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Gets New View of Victoria Crater
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Aug 12, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- This image of Victoria Crater in the Meridiani Planum region of Mars was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter at more ...
Orbiter Safe After Computer Swap
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Aug 10, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is in safe mode, a precautionary standby status, and in communications with Earth after unexpectedly switching to its backup computer on Thurs. Aug. 6.
Mars data published in Science this week
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Jul 02, 2009 |
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Four papers in the journal Science this week offer new details about the history of water on Mars, gleaned from the 2008 NASA Phoenix Mars Mission that was operated from The University of Arizona.
Mars orbiter enters safe mode after disturbance
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Jun 05, 2009 |
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NASA says its powerful Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is in safe mode after being hit by a cosmic ray or solar particle.
Scientists monitor developing Mars dust storm
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Apr 20, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists at Arizona State University's Mars Space Flight Facility are using the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter to monitor a new dust storm that has ...
