NASA launched the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in August 2005 and the following year, on March 10, it entered the orbit of the red planet where it continues to operate today.
Data returned to Earth by the MRO has revealed Mars in unprecedented detail and over the years has helped scientists to find out more about the fascinating planet.
For example, during its work, the MRO has found signs that liquid water may appear seasonally on present-day Mars. Thanks to the orbiter’s ultra-sharp HiRISE camera, the discovery not only revealed details about Mars’ geology and climate, but also helped assess the planet’s potential to support microbial life.
The trusty spacecraft also gathers data on the planet’s temperatures and minerals, and can even explore beneath the surface using its radar technology.
While its scientific work is as important as it is exciting, the spacecraft is best known for the incredible imagery that it captures from its orbit about 155–196 miles (250–316 km) up.
On the 20th anniversary on Tuesday, NASA shared some of those images in a post on X:
Below is a photo of a Mars crater spanning about 100 feet (30 meters) in diameter, surrounded by a large blast zone. The explosion that made this crater threw ejecta as far as 9.3 miles (15 km). Blue tones have been added to enhance the details.
The next image, caught by chance, shows a towering dust devil tearing across the martian surface. Captured from 185 miles (297 kilometers) above the ground, the length of the whirlwind’s shadow tells us that it was more than half a mile (800 meters) high, which is similar to the height of the United Arab Emirate’s Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.
The image below shows an area with unusual texture on the floor of Gale Crater, which is where NASA’s Curiosity rover landed in 2012. Blue tones have been added for a clearer view.
The rover is still operating there today (the MRO has even photographed it!), slowly climbing the base of Mount Sharp (Aeolis Mons), the large mountain at the center of the crater. It’s worth noting that the MRO also serves as a vital communications bridge, transmitting data from the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers back to Earth.
Again, blue tones have been added to the capture below to bring out details such as the tops of dunes and ripples. Like on Earth, many of these features change over time, with martian winds constantly blowing the sand, reshaping the landscape.
NASA will continue operating the MRO for as long as the spacecraft remains healthy and has enough fuel, with plans for it to continue into the late 2020s, and possibly beyond.
That means we can look forward to lots more incredible images from the veteran Mars orbiter.