Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter — spacecraft, shown live in Cosmoscope, a real-time 3D map of the universe.

MRO’s powerful HiRISE camera resolves boulders on the Martian surface while relaying data home from the rovers below.

Launched
12 Aug 2005
Status
Orbiting Mars since 2006

Seeing Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in real time

Cosmoscope draws Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on its real trajectory, from mission ephemeris rather than an artist's impression. Open the live 3D view to see where Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is right now, how far it has travelled from the Sun, and how long its radio signal takes to reach Earth. Scrub the timeline to replay the route that took it there.

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Interactive universe
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