2001 Mars Odyssey facts for kids
Artist's impression of the Mars Odyssey spacecraft
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| Mission type | Mars orbiter |
|---|---|
| Operator | NASA / JPL |
| Mission duration |
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| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin |
| Launch mass | 725 kg |
| Dry mass | 376.3 kilograms (830 lb) |
| Power | 750 W |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | April 7, 2001, 15:02:22 UTC |
| Rocket | Delta II 7925-9.5 |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral SLC-17A |
| Contractor | Boeing |
| End of mission | |
| Last contact | Q4 2025 (planned) |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Areocentric |
| Regime | Sun-synchronous |
| Semi-major axis | 3,793.4 km (2,357.1 mi) |
| Eccentricity | 0.0 |
| Altitude | 400 km (250 mi) |
| Inclination | 93.064° |
| Period | 2 hours |
| RAAN | 34.98° |
| Argument of periareion | 0° |
| Mean anomaly | 0° |
| Epoch | October 19, 2002 |
| Mars orbiter | |
| Orbital insertion | October 24, 2001, MSD 45435 12:21 AMT |
Mars Exploration Program
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The 2001 Mars Odyssey is a robotic spacecraft that orbits the planet Mars. It was built by Lockheed Martin for NASA. The mission's main goal is to look for signs of water and ice on Mars. It also studies the planet's geology and the radiation levels there.
The information Odyssey collects helps scientists understand if life ever existed on Mars. It also helps figure out how much radiation future astronauts might face. Odyssey also acts as a communication relay. It sends messages from rovers like Curiosity and previous ones like Mars Exploration Rovers and Phoenix back to Earth.
The mission was named to honor Arthur C. Clarke. This name reminds people of his and Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Odyssey launched on April 7, 2001. It used a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It reached Mars orbit on October 24, 2001.
In May 2002, NASA announced that Odyssey had found a lot of hydrogen. This was a sign that ice might be just below the planet's surface. The orbiter then mapped where this water ice was located. It also found large amounts of water ice near the surface in areas around Mars's equator.
On December 15, 2010, Odyssey became the longest-serving spacecraft at Mars. It had been working for 3,340 days. It has also been the main way NASA's Mars surface explorers communicate. This includes the Curiosity rover. Odyssey still holds the record for the longest-running active spacecraft orbiting another planet. It is expected to keep working until the end of 2025.
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Mission Name
In August 2000, NASA asked for ideas to name the mission. They received 200 names. The first choice was "Astrobiological Reconnaissance and Elemental Surveyor," or ARES. This name was a nod to Ares, the Greek god of war.
However, some people felt this name wasn't very exciting or was too aggressive. So, the naming team met again. The name "2001 Mars Odyssey" had been considered before. But there were worries about copyright. NASA then contacted Arthur C. Clarke, the author. He was happy for the mission to be named after his books. He had no objections. On September 20, NASA decided to change the name from ARES to 2001 Mars Odyssey.
What Odyssey Does
The Mars Odyssey mission has several important goals:
- Create maps showing the levels of different elements across Mars's surface.
- Figure out how much hydrogen is in the shallow ground.
- Build a collection of detailed images and data. This helps identify the types of minerals on Mars.
- Learn about the shape and features of the Martian surface.
- Measure radiation levels around Mars. This helps understand the risks for future human explorers.
Science Tools on Board
Odyssey carries three main science tools:
- Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS). This is a camera that takes pictures using visible light and infrared light. It helps map where minerals are found on Mars's surface.
- Gamma Ray Spectrometer (GRS). This tool looks for elements like carbon, silicon, iron, and magnesium in Mars's atmosphere. It includes the High Energy Neutron Detector (HEND) from Russia.
- Mars Radiation Environment Experiment (MARIE). This tool measures the amount of radiation around Mars.
How the Mission Works
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Mars Odyssey launched from Cape Canaveral on April 7, 2001. It reached Mars about 200 days later, on October 24. When it arrived, the spacecraft fired its main engine. This slowed it down enough to be captured into orbit around Mars.
Then, Odyssey spent about 76 days doing something called aerobraking. This means it used the drag from Mars's upper atmosphere to slowly reduce and make its orbit more circular. By using the atmosphere to slow down, Odyssey didn't need to carry an extra 200 kilograms (440 lb) of fuel. This made the spacecraft lighter. It allowed the mission to launch on a smaller, less expensive rocket.
Aerobraking finished in January 2002. Odyssey began its science mission on February 19, 2002. Its first mission was supposed to end in August 2004. However, it has received many extensions and is still active today.
The MARIE radiation experiment stopped working on October 28, 2003. This happened after a big solar event hit the spacecraft. Engineers believe a computer chip was damaged by a solar particle.
Odyssey has helped a lot with other Mars missions. About 85% of the images and data from NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, came to Earth through Odyssey. The orbiter also helped choose safe landing sites for these rovers. It did the same for NASA's Phoenix mission, which landed in May 2008.
Odyssey is in a Sun-synchronous orbit. This means it always sees Mars with consistent lighting for its pictures. On September 30, 2008, the spacecraft changed its orbit. This gave its infrared mapping tool better sensitivity for studying Martian minerals.
The orbiter's direction is controlled by three special wheels, plus a spare. One wheel failed in June 2012. The spare wheel was then used successfully. Since July 2012, Odyssey has been working normally again.
Mars Odyssey's THEMIS tool helped pick a landing site for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL). Days before MSL's landing in August 2012, Odysseys orbit was changed. This made sure it could pick up signals from the rover during its first moments on Mars. Odyssey also relayed radio signals from the MSL rover Curiosity. Because Odyssey is in a Sun-synchronous orbit, it flies over Curiositys location twice a day. This allows regular contact with Earth.
On February 11, 2014, mission control sped up Odyssey's orbit. This moved it towards a morning-daylight orbit. This change allowed it to observe how ground temperatures change after sunrise and sunset. These observations can give clues about what the ground is made of. They also help understand processes like warm seasonal flows and geysers near Mars's poles.
On October 19, 2014, NASA reported that Mars Odyssey, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and MAVEN were all fine. This was after Comet Siding Spring flew past Mars.
In 2010, NASA said Odyssey could keep working until at least 2016. This estimate has since been extended. It is now expected to operate until the end of 2025.
Major Discoveries
By 2008, Mars Odyssey had mapped where water was located just below the surface. On July 31, 2008, the Phoenix lander confirmed this. It found water on Mars, just as Odyssey had predicted in 2002. Scientists are now trying to find out if this water ice ever thaws enough for tiny life forms. They also want to know if chemicals needed for life are present.
The orbiter also found huge amounts of water ice near the surface in areas around Mars's equator. Evidence for this water comes from both the shape of the land and its chemical makeup. This was seen at places like the Medusae Fossae formation and the Tharsis Montes.
Images for kids
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Animation of 2001 Mars Odyssey's trajectory around Sun
2001 Mars Odyssey · Earth · Mars -
Mars Odyssey as imaged by Mars Global Surveyor
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MARIE hardware, designed to measure radiation
See also
- Exploration of Mars
- List of Mars orbiters
- List of missions to Mars
- Mars Express Orbiter
- Mars Global Surveyor
- Mars Orbiter Mission
- Mars Student Imaging Project
- Mythodea – Music for the NASA Mission: 2001 Mars Odyssey
