description Mars Climate Orbiter Overview
Mars Climate Orbiter was a NASA robotic spacecraft launched on December 11, 1998, to study Mars' atmosphere and act as a communications relay for the Mars Polar Lander and other missions. The spacecraft was lost during its planned arrival at Mars on September 23, 1999. An investigation found that ground software supplied thruster data in English units while navigation calculations expected metric units, placing the spacecraft on a trajectory that carried it too close to Mars and caused it to burn up in the atmosphere.
help Mars Climate Orbiter FAQ
When was Mars Climate Orbiter launched?
NASA launched Mars Climate Orbiter on December 11, 1998. The spacecraft was sent to study Mars' atmosphere and support communications for other missions.
What happened to Mars Climate Orbiter?
The spacecraft was lost during its planned arrival at Mars on September 23, 1999. It did not enter its intended orbit around the planet.
What was Mars Climate Orbiter designed to study?
Its main science goal was to study the Martian atmosphere. It was also intended to act as a communications relay for Mars Polar Lander and other missions.
Why is Mars Climate Orbiter remembered in mission history?
It is remembered as a failed NASA Mars mission that was lost during arrival in 1999. The mission also became a well-known example of how a navigation or engineering error can end a planetary mission.
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