Mars Odyssey Archives - Universe Today

Old Mars Odyssey Data Indicates Presence of Ice Around Martian Equator

2 Oct , 2017 by Matt Williams

After re-examining old data from the Mars Odyssey mission, a team of scientists has found evidence for the presence of subsurface water ice on Mars

NASA Curiosity Rover Missing ‘Scientific Focus And Detail’ In Mars Mission: Review

4 Sep , 2014 by Elizabeth Howell

NASA’s planetary senior review panel harshly criticized the scientific return of the Curiosity rover in a report released yesterday (Sept. 3), saying the mission lacks focus and the team is taking actions that show they think the $2.5-billion mission is “too big to fail.” While the review did recommend the mission receive more funding — […]

NASA Preps for Nail-biting Comet Flyby of Mars

26 Jul , 2014 by Bob King

As Comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring inches closer to the Red Planet, NASA’s taking steps to protect its fleet of orbiting Mars spacecraft. On October 19, the comet’s icy nucleus will miss the planet by just 82,000 miles (132,000 km). That’s 17 times closer than the closest recorded Earth-approaching comet, Lexell’s Comet in 1770. No one’s worried […]

Feel The Heat! New Mars Map Shows Differences Between Bedrock And Sand

16 Jul , 2014 by Elizabeth Howell

For years, NASA’s Mars Odyssey has been working on some night moves. It’s been taking pictures of the Red Planet during nighttime — more than 20,000 in all — to see how the planet’s heat signature looks while the sun is down. The result is the highest-resolution map ever of the thermal properties of Mars, […]

Martian Spacecraft Busts A Move To Glimpse Possible Water Flows

13 Feb , 2014 by Elizabeth Howell

Just a few days ago, we posted about possibly salty water flows on Mars. Of note, the NASA press release noted, moisture is likely more prevalent in the morning and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter does most observations in the afternoon, local time. That’s too bad, we thought. But wait! It turns out that NASA Mars […]

How Much Science Data Has The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Sent To Earth?

11 Nov , 2013 by Elizabeth Howell

Imagine being able to watch three months’ worth of high-definition space video sequentially — maybe real-time coverage on the International Space Station, or getting to watch the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter zoom across the Red Planet over and over again. Well, that’s how much science data MRO itself has sent back in 10 years of operations, […]

Mars Armada Resumes Contact with NASA – Ready to Rock ‘n Roll n’ Drill

2 May , 2013 by Ken Kremer

Curiosity accomplished historic 1st drilling into Martian rock at John Klein outcrop on Feb 8, 2013 (Sol 182), shown in this context mosaic view of the Yellowknife Bay basin taken on Jan. 26 (Sol 169) – back dropped with Mount Sharp – where the robot is currently working. Curiosity will bore a 2nd drill hole […]

Terran Fleet at Mars Takes a Break for Conjunction – Enjoy the Video and Parting View

6 Apr , 2013 by Ken Kremer

Curiosity and Mount Sharp – Parting Shot ahead of Mars Solar Conjunction Enjoy this parting view of Curiosity’s elevated robotic arm and drill staring at you; back dropped with her ultimate destination – Mount Sharp – in this panoramic vista of Yellowknife Bay basin snapped on March 23, Sol 223, by the rover’s navigation camera […]

Mount Sharp Compared to Three Big Mountains on Earth

Take a Trip to Explore Gale Crater

27 Aug , 2012 by John Williams

Images from the Curiosity rover on Mars are truly spectacular but a large mosaic from the THEMIS camera aboard NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbiter gives a grand perspective of our new foothold on Mars. Take some time to rove and explore Gale Crater. The viewer, created using a web-imaging technology from Zoomify, is set to move […]

T Minus 9 Days – Mars Orbiters Now in Place to Relay Critical Curiosity Landing Signals

28 Jul , 2012 by Ken Kremer

Image Caption: NASA’s Mars Odyssey will relay near real time signals of this artist’s concept depicting the moment that NASA’s Curiosity rover touches down onto the Martian surface. NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and ESA’s Mars Express (MEX) orbiter will also record signals from Curiosity for later playback, not in real time. Credit: NASA It’s […]

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