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Welcome to the club TGO! Opportunity conducted communications relay tests with ExoMars’ Trace Gas Orbiter
(TGO), during its commissioning phase. A much-needed and welcomed addition to the
Mars communications constellation, TGO downlinked the rover’s data on more than two
dozen occasions in May. “So far, so very good,” said MER Mission Manager Scott Lever,
of JPL. “We are instant fans of TGO.” So too are the scientists, who saw a 50% increase
in data downloads in May. The image above shows an artist's impression of TGO with its
thrusters firing, as it began entry into Mars orbit on Oct. 19, 2016. ESA / ATG medialab