![]() ![]() In the Mars Climate Sounder (MCS), a stepping mechanism skipped on multiple occasions, which resulted in a slightly out of position field of view. However, in November, problems began surfacing in two of MRO's instruments. One week later, NASA released detailed pictures from the MRO of Victoria crater and the Opportunity rover on its rim. MRO took its first high-resolution image from its science orbit on September 29, 2006. Using the Spirit rover as the origin point for the transmission, the MRO acted as a relay for transmitting data back to Earth. NASA announced the test of the MRO as an orbital communications relay was successful on November 17, 2006. The "primary science phase" began after the solar conjunction ended. All of the scientific instruments on MRO were tested, and most were turned off before the solar conjunction that took place for nearly all of October 2006. The SHARAD radar antennas were deployed later that month. The next month, MRO fired its thrusters to fine-tune its nearly circular final orbit pattern to approximately 250-316 km (155-196 mi) above the surface of Mars. After the aerobraking process was complete, MRO used its thrusters to move its periapsis out of the Martian atmosphere's edge in August 2006. On March 30, 2006, MRO began aerobraking, a procedure that cuts the fuel needed in half to achieve a lower, more circular orbit. The apoapsis, which is the point in the orbit farthest from Mars, was 44,500 km (27,700 mi) from the surface. Shortly after insertion, the periapsis, the point in the orbit closest to Mars, was 426 km (265 mi) from the surface. The orbital insertion placed MRO in a highly elliptical polar orbit for approximately 35.5 hours. MRO began orbital insertion on March 10, 2006, and passed above Mars' southern hemisphere at an altitude of 370–400 kilometers (230–250 mi). However, only three trajectory corrections were needed, saving 27 kg (60 lbs) of fuel that would be usable during MRO's extended mission. Additionally, a fifth emergency maneuver was prepared. Four trajectory correction maneuvers were planned to ensure proper orbital insertion when reaching Mars. While en route to Mars, most of the scientific instruments and experiments were tested and calibrated. MRO played a crucial role in choosing safe landing sites for the Phoenix lander, Mars Science Laboratory, InSight lander, and the Perseverance rover. There are also two mission support objectives for MRO, which are: provide data relay services from ground missions back to Earth and characterize the safety and feasibility of potential future landing sites and Mars rover traverses. The formal science objectives are to: observe the present climate, particularly its atmospheric circulation and seasonal variations search for signs of water, past and present, and understand how it altered the planet's surface and map and characterize the geological forces that shaped the surface. MRO has both primary scientific and "mission support" objectives. After five months of aerobraking, in November 2006, it entered its final science orbit and began its primary science phase. Kennedy Space Center in May 2005 to prepare for launch, which occurred on August 12, 2005, and was entered into orbit around Mars on March 10, 2006. There were no significant setbacks during construction, and the spacecraft was shipped to John F. By the end of 2001, the instruments that were to be included on the spacecraft were selected. In late 2001, NASA chose Lockheed Martin as the primary contractor for the spacecraft's construction. The plans included the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which was set to launch in 2005. NASA announced its reformulated plans for Mars exploration in October 2000, which reduced the number of planned missions and introduced the theme of following the water. MRO is still operational at Mars, far beyond its intended lifespan, and because of MRO's role as a high-speed data-relay, NASA has extended plans for MRO for as long as possible.Īfter the dual failures of the Mars Climate Orbiter and the Mars Polar Lander missions in 1999, NASA was forced to reorganize and replan the Mars Exploration Program. Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is a NASA spacecraft designed by Lockheed Martin to study the climate and geology of Mars, provide data on future prospective landing sites, and relay information from surface missions back to Earth.
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