ESA Science & Technology - Favourable Observing Conditions for Optical Imaging

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Favourable Observing Conditions for Optical Imaging

Overall Mission and Payload StatusThe Mars Express payload operations continue to run smoothly, with the spacecraft and all operating scientific instruments in good condition.

The current period, with no eclipses and with excellent illumination conditions during the pericentre passes, is favourable to the optical imaging instruments HRSC and OMEGA.

The go/no go decision for MARSIS deployment is expected in January 2005. If the decision to deploy is made, the earliest date for deployment is 17 March 2005.

Science Planning Status

The PST planning for operations at the beginning of the second eclipse season is now completed. Planning for the Medium-Term Plans (MTP) of February and March 2005 is being finalised. The next occultation season will start on 8 December, which will give further opportunities for radio science measurements (MaRS).

The current combination of low data rate and loading of the data downlink windows makes it more difficult to find a trade-off between science and communications periods.

Science Data Archiving

The 1st Data Delivery Review started on 25 November and will be completed end of January. The available documentation and data sets have been distributed.

Science Highlights

Since the October status report the following images taken with the HRSC instrument were released:

24 November 2004
HRSC - Hale Crater The image shows an area around around the Hale Crater close to the northern rim of the Argyre basin, located at latitude 36° South and longitude 324° East.
17 November 2004
HRSC - Coprates Catena The displayed region shows the detailed structure of Coprates Catena, a southern part of the Valles Marineris canyon system on Mars.
11 November 2004
HRSC - Phobos This image is one of the highest-resolution pictures so far of the Martian satellite Phobos. It shows the Mars facing side of the moon.
03 November 2004
HRSC - Tithonium Chasma The image shows the western end of the canyons Tithonium Chasma and Ius Chasma, part of the Valles Marineris canyon system, which are up to 5.5 kilometres deep.
19 October 2004
HRSC - Hugens Crater Huygens is an impact structure, about 450 kilometres wide, located in the heavily cratered southern highlands of Mars. The image shows the eastern rim of the crater.
12 October 2004
HRSC - Promethei Terra Area, east of the Hellas Planitia impact basin, with a smooth surface caused by a layer of dust or volcanic ash that is up to several tens of metres thick.