What is the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) going to do?
The spacecraft will study Mars’ atmosphere, surface features and underground geological structure. Mission scientists hope to learn more about the history and distribution of water on the Red Planet. MRO will also look around for suitable landing sites for future manned missions to Mars planned as part of President Bush’s vision for space exploration, announced in 2004. In addition, the spacecraft might be able to locate the remains of previous probes, such as the British-built Beagle 2 probe, which was lost in 2003, and the US Mars Polar Lander, which disappeared in 1999. When will it arrive? The orbiter reached Mars in March 2006. When it got close to the planet, it performed a manoeuvre called aerobraking, a technique which uses the friction of the Martian atmosphere to slow the spacecraft down. For the mission’s 25-month primary science phase, beginning in November 2006, MRO will orbit Mars from an average altitude of about 306km (190 miles) – more than 20% closer than the average
The MRO will be scouting for suitable landing sites for future manned missions The spacecraft will study Mars’ atmosphere, surface features and underground geological structure. Mission scientists hope to learn more about the history and distribution of water on the Red Planet. MRO will also look around for suitable landing sites for future manned missions to Mars planned as part of President Bush’s vision for space exploration, announced in 2004. In addition, the spacecraft might be able to locate the remains of previous probes, such as the British-built Beagle 2 probe, which was lost in 2003, and the US Mars Polar Lander, which disappeared in 1999. When will it arrive? The orbiter reached Mars in March 2006. When it got close to the planet, it performed a manoeuvre called aerobraking, a technique which uses the friction of the Martian atmosphere to slow the spacecraft down. For the mission’s 25-month primary science phase, beginning in November 2006, MRO will orbit Mars from an avera
