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Space Topics: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
Mission Facts
Mission Timeline
- Pre-Launch: 2002 - Aug, 2005: Preparation for the
mission, including assembly, testing, and delivery to Cape Canaveral
- Launch: August 12, 2005
- Cruise: August 2005 - March 2006
- Approach: March 2006
- Mars Orbit Insertion: March 10, 2006
- Aerobraking: March 10, 2006 - September 11, 2006
- Transitional Phase: September 11, 2006 - November 8, 2006
- Science Operations: November 8, 2006 - November 2008
- Communications Relay: November 2008 – December
2010
- Primary mission end: December 31, 2010
The orbiter may be able to continue providing
relay services for as much as another 5 years beyond its planned end
date.
Spacecraft
- Spacecraft mass:
- Total: 2,180 kilograms (4,806 pounds) at launch
- Science payload: 139 kilograms (306 pounds)
- Other dry weight: 892 kilograms (1,967 pounds)
- Fuel: 1,149 kilograms (2,533 pounds)
- Spacecraft description:
- Body: 6.5 meters (21 feet) in height
- Solar panels: 13.6 meters (45 feet) tip-to-tip
fully extended, with about 20 meters (220 square feet) of solar cells
- High-gain antenna: 10 meters (33 feet)
diameter
Orbit
- Nearly circular, nearly polar
- Periapsis: 255
kilometers (158 miles) over the south pole
- Apoapsis: 320 kilometers (about 200
miles)
- Period: 112 minutes
Mission cost
- Total cost: $720 million
- Cost of spacecraft and science instruments: $450
million
- Launch: $90 million
- Mission operations: $180 million
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