Mars Odyssey
Mars Odyssey is a NASA orbiter that maps the Martian surface in visible and thermal infrared wavelengths, measures elemental composition and shallow hydrogen, and monitors the radiation environment. It also serves as a long-running communications relay for spacecraft on the surface.
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Identity
- Aliases
- 2001 Mars Odyssey
- Name
- Mars Odyssey
- Status
- active
Details
- Astronauts
- -
- Description
- Mars Odyssey is a NASA orbiter that maps the Martian surface in visible and thermal infrared wavelengths, measures elemental composition and shallow hydrogen, and monitors the radiation environment. It also serves as a long-running communications relay for spacecraft on the surface.
- Destination
- Near-polar, nearly Sun-synchronous Mars mapping orbit at approximately 400 km altitude (93.1° inclination; just under two-hour period) for global surface, radiation, and communications-relay observations
- Launch Site
- Outcome
- Odyssey remains active after more than twenty-five years, holding the longevity record for continuous operations around a planet other than Earth. Its observations produced global elemental and mineral maps, revealed widespread near-surface water ice, and supported multiple Mars landers and rovers.
- Programs
- Start Date
- 2001-04-07
- Vehicle Families
Links
- Official Url
- https://science.nasa.gov/mission/odyssey/
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- July 18, 2026 at 14:20:41 UTC
- Updated Time
- August 22, 2026 at 08:26:44 UTC
- Image
- Download
Other
- Affiliations
- Search Name
- Mars Odyssey 2001 Mars Odyssey
- Space Stations
- -
- Vehicles