MARS

1. General Information

   1. JPL Mars General Info

   2. Mars Facts

   3. History of Mars

2. Mars Global Surveyor (MGS)

   1. JPL/NASA Page

   2. Instruments:

      1. Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC): High-resolution camera on the Mars Global Surveyor Spacecraft. Information from Malin Space Science Systems.

         1. Data and Info (Malin Space Science Systems)

         2. PDS Geosciences Node Data

         3. PDS General MGS Site

      2. Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA): An instrument on the Mars Global Surveyor Spacecraft that uses range measurements to construct a precise topographical map of Mars for studies in geophysics, geology, and atmospheric circulation.

         1. Science Team

         2. PDS Data

         3. Gridview (MOLA IDL program)

      3. Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES): An instrument for measuring the thermal infrared energy (heat) emitted from Mars, which will provide informtion about the geology, composition, and atmosphere of Mars.

         1. Science Team

         2. PDS Geosciences Node Data

Mars '01 Odyssey (M01)

1. JPL/NASA Page

2. Instruments:

   1. Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS): An instrument provided by Arizona State University that will map the distribution of minerals on the surface of Mars.

      1. Science Team

      2. Data

   2. Gamma Ray Spectrometer (GRS)

   3. Mars Radiation Environment Experiment (MARIE)

1. Mars Express (MEX), European Space Agency's (ESA)

   1. ESA Page

   2. Instruments:

      1. High Resolution Stereo Camera HRSC: he HRSC will image the entire planet in full colour, 3D and with a resolution of about 10 metres. Selected areas will be imaged at 2-metre resolution. One of the camera's greatest strengths will be the unprecedented pointing accuracy achieved by combining images at the two different resolutions. Another will be the 3D imaging which will reveal the topography of Mars in full colour.

      2. OMEGA Visible and Infrared Mineralogical Mapping Spectrometer: MEGA will build up a map of surface composition in 100 metre squares. It will determine mineral composition from the visible and infrared light reflected from the planet's surface in the wavelength range 0.5-5.2 microns. As light reflected from the surface must pass through the atmosphere before entering the instrument, OMEGA will also measure aspects of atmospheric composition.

      3. SPICAM Ultraviolet and Infrared Atmospheric Spectrometer: SPICAM will determine the composition of the atmosphere from the wavelengths of light absorbed by the constituent gases. An ultraviolet (UV) sensor will measure ozone, which absorbs 250-nanometre light, and an infrared (IR) sensor will measure water vapour, which absorbs 1.38 micron light.

      4. Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS): The PFS will determine the composition of the Martian atmosphere from the wavelengths of sunlight (in the range 1.2-45 microns) absorbed by molecules in the atmosphere and from the infrared radiation they emit. In particular, it will measure the vertical pressure and temperature profile of carbon dioxide which makes up 95% of the martian atmosphere, and look for minor constituents including water, carbon monoxide, methane and formaldehyde.

      5. SPERA Energetic Neutral Atoms Analyser: ASPERA will measure ions, electrons and energetic neutral atoms in the outer atmosphere to reveal the numbers of oxygen and hydrogen atoms (the constituents of water) interacting with the solar wind and the regions of such interaction. Constant bombardment by the stream of charged particles pouring out from the Sun, is thought to be responsible for the loss of Mars's atmosphere. The planet no longer has a global magnetic field to deflect the solar wind, which is consequently free to interact unhindered with atoms of atmospheric gas and sweep them out to space.

      6. Mars Radio Science Experiment (MaRS): MaRS will use the radio signals that convey data and instructions between the spacecraft and Earth to probe the planet's ionosphere, atmosphere, surface and even the interior. Information on the interior will be gleaned from the planet's gravity field, which will be calculated from changes in the velocity of the spacecraft relative to Earth. Surface roughness will be deduced from the way in which the radio waves are reflected from the Martian surface.

      7. MARSIS Sub-Surface Sounding Radar Altimeter: MARSIS will map the sub-surface structure to a depth of a few kilometres. The instrument's 40-metre long antenna will send low frequency radio waves towards the planet, which will be reflected from any surface they encounter. For most, this will be the surface of Mars, but a significant fraction will travel through the crust to be reflected at sub-surface interfaces between layers of different material, including water or ice.