In May, the Odyssey Orbiter, from an elevation of 400 km– as high above as the International Space Station– recorded a series of sensational images. These were carefully stitched together, exposing a breathtaking view. A spectacular curve of Mars unfolded, blanketed by a layer of dust and clouds and the sight of its tiny moon, Phobos.
At the heart of this phenomenon is the orbiters THEMIS video camera (Thermal Emission Imaging System), fine-tuned for spotting infrared (heat) emissions. This makes it best for discerning Martian features and surface areas, exposing complexities of ice, temperature level, sand, and rock shifts.
Possibilities are youve marveled at Earths charm through photos drawn from the International Space Station. Now, prepare to be equally captivated by Mars from an extremely comparable viewpoint. Thanks to the long-serving NASAs Mars Odyssey Orbiter, were getting a fresh, breathtaking point of view of the Red Planet– a peek similar to what astronauts bound for Mars might see in the future.
What a Mars area station view may appear like
A spectacular curve of Mars unfolded, blanketed by a layer of dust and clouds and the sight of its tiny moon, Phobos.
” No Mars spacecraft has actually ever had this kind of view before.”
These images are more than simply visual wonders. Theyre keys to unlocking Martian atmospheric tricks, like the positioning of water-ice and CO2 clouds, in addition to its dust layer. This knowledge is crucial for fine-tuning our atmospheric designs of Mars.
” If there were astronauts in orbit over Mars, this is the perspective they would have,” said Jonathon Hill of Arizona State University, operations lead for THEMIS.
” We got a various angle and lighting conditions of Phobos than were used to,” Hill said. “That makes it a special part of our Phobos dataset.”
Odysseys camera also captured Phobos, one of Mars tiny potato-shaped moons. THEMIS caught temperature level variations on Phobos surface area, essential info that will boost the upcoming NASA-JAXA mission meant to explore the moons secrets in detail.
This knowledge is important for improving our climatic models of Mars.
NASAs 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter utilized its THEMIS camera to record this series of images of Phobos, among the Red Planets 2 tiny moons. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.
Now, prepare to be similarly mesmerized by Mars from a very comparable point of view. Thanks to the long-serving NASAs Mars Odyssey Orbiter, were getting a fresh, amazing perspective of the Red Planet– a look akin to what astronauts bound for Mars may see in the future.
Capturing these images wasnt straightforward. To adjust THEMISs focus, engineers needed to reorient the whole spacecraft by 90 degrees because the video camera itself is repaired, a fragile operation involving both the orbiters solar panels and its boosters. The orbiters antenna pointed away from Earth during this maneuver, temporarily cutting off interaction, making the task even more challenging not to mention extremely anxiety-inducing.
It was a job that took months of planning to manifest NASAs vision, however it was all worth it in the end. The spacecraft remained in this position for a minimum of a full orbit, exposing an extraordinary view of the crater-pocked Martian surface however likewise the unique layers of the thin red worlds atmosphere.