The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announces that the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has completed its 60th anniversary flyby of the Red Planet.
Recall that the MRO probe was launched on August 12, 2005 from the cosmodrome at Cape Canaveral. The device entered Mars orbit in March 2006.
The probe is designed to study the Martian climate, weather, atmosphere and geology. For this, various scientific instruments are used - cameras, spectrometers and radars.
It is important to note that the main mission of the station was completed at the end of 2008 - since then, the research program has been repeatedly extended. MRO has been successfully functioning to this day, including acting as a relay of information from the Martian landers.
It is reported that during its service, the probe transmitted over 378 photographs to Earth. The volume of own generated data has already exceeded 360 Tbit. In addition, the device sent more than 1 Tbit of information from landers, mainly from the Curiosity rover.
It is expected that the information obtained over the years of MRO's work will be used, among other things, in the preparation of planned manned missions to the Red Planet.
Source: 3dnews.ru