Mars Global Surveyor Reaches Mapping Orbit
News story originally written on February 22, 1999
Image of the Mars Global Surveyor launch from November, 1996
Click on image for full size (112K JPEG)
Image courtesy of NASA
|
Scientists are almost ready to use the Mars Global Surveyor. It is
now in a special orbit over Mars.
The satellite will pass over the same part or Mars at the same time each
day. That way scientists won't have to worry about day and night changes.
They want to measure long term changes.
|
More information from from the Mars Global Surveyor homepage
Mars Global Surveyor Reaches Mapping Orbit
News story originally written on February 22, 1999
Image of the Mars Global Surveyor launch from November, 1996
Click on image for full size (112K JPEG)
Image courtesy of NASA
|
Mars Global Surveyor is
almost ready to start collecting data. Scientists are going to start
testing their instruments. The satellite is now about 229 miles above Mars in its final mapping orbit.
Mars Global Surveyor will pass over the same part of Mars at the same time
each day. Scientists need the satellite to be in this special orbit.
That way, they won't have to worry about day and night changes. They
want to measure how the areas change on longer timescales.
|
More information from from the Mars Global Surveyor homepage
Mars Global Surveyor Reaches Mapping Orbit
News story originally written on February 22, 1999
Image of the Mars Global Surveyor launch from November, 1996
Click on image for full size (112K JPEG)
Image courtesy of NASA
|
Mars Global Surveyor is
one step closer to collecting data. It reached its final mapping orbit of
approximately 229 miles above the surface Mars on February 19th. Now scientists are
beginning to power up and calibrate the many instruments on the satellite.
"Reaching our mapping orbit has been a long time coming for all involved.
We are delighted to finally be able to do this mission as it was designed,
in the proper mapping orbit with all the instruments working at their full
potential," said Dr. Arden Albee, the Mars Global Surveyor project
scientist at the California Institute of Technology.
The orbit is specially designed so that the satellite will pass over the
same part of Mars at the same time of day. This is necessary so that
scientists will be able to distinguish diurnal changes from long-term
variations.
|
More information from from the Mars Global Surveyor homepage
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