Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is a NASA spacecraft. It launched on August 12, 2005 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It arrived at Mars on March 10, 2006. It went into orbit around Mars, and has been studying the planet since then. Its main goal is to find water on Mars, below the surface, and in the air. To do this, it has the largest telescope ever sent to another planet. The orbiter also works as a communications satellite. Its powerful antennas send and receive messages between NASA on Earth, and rovers on the surface of Mars.[1]
Quick facts Mission type, Operator ...
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Artist's impression of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft. |
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| Mission type | Mars orbiter |
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| Operator | NASA / JPL |
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| COSPAR ID | 2005-029A |
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| SATCAT no. | 28788 |
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| Website | marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/
nasa.gov/mission_pages/MRO/main/index.html |
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| Mission duration | Primary mission: 2 years
Elapsed: 20 years and 15 days from launch
19 years, 5 months and 17 days (6920 sols) at Mars |
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| Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin / University of Arizona / APL / ASI / Malin Space Science Systems |
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| Launch mass | 2,180 kg (4,810 lb) |
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| Dry mass | 1,031 kg (2,273 lb) |
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| Payload mass | 139 kg (306 lb) |
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| Power | 2,000.0 watts |
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| Launch date | August 12, 2005, 11:43:00 (2005-08-12UTC11:43Z) UTC |
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| Rocket | Atlas V 401 |
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| Launch site | Cape Canaveral SLC-41 |
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| Contractor | ILS |
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| Reference system | Areocentric |
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| Regime | Sun-synchronous |
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| Inclination | 93 degrees |
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| Orbital insertion | March 10, 2006, 21:24:00 UTC
MSD 46990 12:48 AMT
20 Dhanus 211 Darian |
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Official insignia of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission.
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