At the moment within the historical past of astronomy, a Mars mission milestone.
Launched in 2001, NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbiter has been learning the Crimson Planet’s floor for greater than twenty years. NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA’s Mars Odyssey spacecraft accomplished its 60,000th orbit of the Crimson Planet on June 23, 2015. When Odyssey launched in April 2001 with a objective of higher understanding Mars’ surroundings, the Crimson Planet was typically considered dry, barren world; the mission remodeled our understanding, discovering widespread subsurface water ice. Its steady observations have additionally supplied particulars about martian climate and radiation, essential for planning future human missions, and it serves as a key communications relay for floor missions. The record-holder for the longest-operating spacecraft in orbit round one other planet, the orbiter continues to return photos and information: Simply final month, it captured a first-of-its-kind panorama of the Arsia Mons volcano peeking above the early morning cloud tops.
