Mars Climate Orbiter interplanetary-weather spacecraft family
The Mars Climate Orbiter family comprised the 1998 NASA interplanetary weather orbiter and Mars Polar Lander relay; it was lost on arrival after a navigation-unit mismatch caused atmospheric entry below the planned corridor.
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Identity
- Aliases
- Mars Climate OrbiterMCOMars Surveyor 98 Orbiter
- Family Name
- Mars Climate Orbiter
- Full Name
- Mars Climate Orbiter interplanetary-weather spacecraft family
- Roles
- interplanetary_probeorbiter
- Status
- retired
- Type
- spacecraft
Details
- Description
- The Mars Climate Orbiter family comprised the 1998 NASA interplanetary weather orbiter and Mars Polar Lander relay; it was lost on arrival after a navigation-unit mismatch caused atmospheric entry below the planned corridor.
- First Flight Year
- 1,998
- Last Flight Year
- 1,999
- Operator
- Propulsion Configurations
- Entries
- Count
- 1
- Propulsion System
- Role
- maneuvering
- Stage
- spacecraft
- Variant Notes
- One 640 N hydrazine and nitrogen-tetroxide main engine for Mars orbit insertion.
- Count
- 1
- Propulsion System
- Role
- maneuvering
- Stage
- spacecraft
- Variant Notes
- Four 22 N hydrazine monopropellant thrusters for trajectory-correction maneuvers and turning.
- Count
- 1
- Propulsion System
- Role
- attitude-control
- Stage
- spacecraft
- Variant Notes
- Four 0.9 N hydrazine monopropellant thrusters used exclusively for attitude control.
- Name
- Mars Climate Orbiter three-tier propulsion installation
- Notes
- JPL describes a 640 N hydrazine and nitrogen-tetroxide main engine, four 22 N hydrazine thrusters for trajectory correction and turning, and four 0.9 N hydrazine thrusters for attitude control.
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Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- August 6, 2026 at 17:49:18 UTC
- Updated Time
- September 8, 2026 at 09:48:28 UTC