On this day in 2006, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter arrived at the red planet.
The MRO was designed to explore Mars from orbit, delivering the Earth high resolution images to help researchers to build incredibly detailed maps of the planet’s surface. One of the most important features of the mission, however, is to monitor weather on Mars in order to help researchers study potential future landing sites and to protect other spacecraft and missions.
When the MRO reached Mars orbit, it helped to set a record of the most operational spacecraft in the vicinity of another planet, joining the Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Express, Mars Odyssey, Spirit and Opportunity missions.
While the MRO’s primary mission was completed in 2008, the spacecraft is still going strong in it’s orbit around Mars. Mission operators at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory believe that the MRO will be able to serve as a relay satellite for other Mars missions well into the future.
