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Space Topics: Mars Global SurveyorScience InstrumentsMars Global Surveyor carries six instrument systems in its onboard suite: Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) is an imaging system featuring three cameras -- two wide-angle cameras and one narrow-angle camera. The wide-angle cameras provide daily global images for weather monitoring, one through a red filter and one through a blue filter, and also provide context for the narrow angle camera. The narrow-angle camera provides grayscale views of the planet's surface at higher resolutions than ever produced before (from 1.5 to 12 meters/pixel). Special techniques called PROTO and cPROTO imaging permit even higher resolutions. Principal investigator: Michael Malin, Malin Space Science Systems Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) is an instrument that measures the time it takes for a transmitted laser beam to reach the surface of Mars, reflect, and return. This time will give the distance, and hence the height of the surface. Combining these measurements result in a topographic map of Mars. Specifically, MOLA transmits infrared laser pulses towards Mars at a rate of 10 Hz and measures the time of flight to determine the range of the MGS spacecraft to the Martian surface. It measures the range to a point on the surface of Mars to a precision of 37 centimeters, and its horizontal resolution on the Martian surface is about 300 meters. Principal investigator: David Smith, Goddard Space Flight Center
Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) is a Michelson interferometer that will measure the thermal infrared energy (heat) emitted from Mars, and a technique known as thermal emission spectroscopy that can tell us a lot about the geology and atmosphere of Mars. It first flew aboard the Mars Observer (MO) spacecraft, and following the loss of that spacecraft, was rebuilt and launched along with five of the original seven MO instruments aboard MGS. TES data is providing the first detailed look at the composition of Mars from the rock, soil, and ice on the surface to the atmospheric dust and clouds above. Principal investigator: Phil Christensen, Arizona State University. Magnetic Fields Investigation (MAG/ER) is an instrument system designed to study the magnetic properties of Mars. It features a magnetometer to determine whether Mars has a magnetic field, and the strength and orientation of the field if one exists; and an electron reflectometer that measured remnant crustal magnetization. Principal investigator: Mario Acuna, Goddard Space Flight Center Mars relay is an antenna that routes received signals through the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) for transmission to Earth. The relay is used to support surface landers and rovers from other Russian, European, and U.S. missions. Principal investigator: Jacques Blamont, Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales Radio Science (RS) is the high-gain antenna, which is designed, as in most missions, to study the atmosphere and gravitational properties of Mars, in addition to carrying out most of the communications with Earth. Measurements of the Doppler shift of radio signals sent back to Earth allow precise determination of changes in the orbit, which allow for a model of the Mars gravity field. As the spacecraft passes over the poles on each orbit, radio signals pass through the Martian atmosphere on their way to Earth. The way in which the atmosphere affects these signals allows determination of its physical properties. Principal investigator: G. Leonard Tyler, Stanford University |
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