The video above shows off some of the fantastic images NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has been sending back to Earth for the past 10 years. In that time, Orbiter has been largely forgotten, replaced in our imaginations by the roving charms of Spirit and Opportunity. But the orbiter has soldiered on nonetheless, faithfully snapping one spectacular Mars picture after another.
Orbiter’s Atlas V rocket lifted off its Cape Canaveral launchpad on Aug. 12, 2005, eventually aerobraking into orbit around the red planet on March 10, 2006.
The orbiter’s primary mission has been to examine Mars’ surface for clues about the history of water on the red planet. It’s well equipped for the job, with a range of instrumentation that allows it to get up close to materials on the planet’s surface. In addition to radar, it has multiple cameras, a weather spectrometer, and a radiometer for identifying minerals. It also carries an experimental navigation camera that will help guide subsequent flights to precise landings on Mars.
If that’s not enough, Orbiter will serve as a critical primary communication link for upcoming missions—the start of what NASA calls an “interplanetary Internet.” It’s currently experimenting with “Ka-band,” a high-frequency radio band that will allow for the transmission of bigger chunks of data while using less power.
The rovers may be newer and cuter, but 10 years later, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter remains a key element in our exploration of Mars.
