Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) - from downlink to archive

In an orbit of 300 kilometers above the Martian surface, MRO will spend four Earth years in Mars orbit. Two years will be dedicated to science observations. MRO will carry a payload of six international scientific instruments and additional experiments with meter scale imaging, 20 meter resolution mineralogical mapping, and 6 meter ground sampling context imaging (Table 1). MRO will seek to characterize Mars seasonal cycles, global atmospheric structure and upper atmosphere, gravity field, transport and surface changes. MRO will search sites for evidence of aqueous and/or hydrothermal activity, and study the Martian ice caps to profile the upper crust while searching for subsurface water and ground ice. MRO will map and explain in detail the stratigraphy, geologic structure, and composition of Mars surface features.