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30th Anniversary of The Planetary Society
  

Space Topics

2001 Mars Odyssey


2001 Mars Odyssey is one of four orbiters currently in operation at the Red Planet. Bearing a name selected as a tribute to the vision and spirit of renowned science fiction author, inventor, and Planetary Society Advisor Arthur C. Clarke, the spacecraft launched on April 7, 2001 and reached Mars six and a half months later on October 23, 2001. It aerobraked into orbit, dipping into the atmosphere to shape its orbit during the initial months after it reached Mars.

Mars Odyssey began its primary science mission in February 2002 and completed it in August 2004, achieving all its science objectives. Most notably, its science instruments recorded the radiation environment in low Mars orbit to determine the risk to future human explorers, and succeeded for the first time in mapping the amount and distribution of chemical elements and minerals in the Martian surface, which led scientists to discover vast amounts of water ice in the polar regions buried just beneath the surface. The orbiter began its extended mission in August 2004.

Since the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, landed in January 2004, Mars Odyssey has served as the twin robots' primary communications relay, transmitting 85% of their data back to Earth. In coming years, the enduring orbiter will support Phoenix and Mars Science Laboratory in the same way. Meanwhile, Odyssey continues to collect data and images that are being used to identify potential landing sites for those future Mars missions.

2001 Mars Odyssey Facts
Launch date: April 7, 2001
Mars arrival: October 24, 2001
Mapping operations start: January 30, 2002
Primary mission end: August 2004
Extended mission: Began August 24, 2004, and currently ongoing