Mars Global Surveyor orbiter spacecraft
Mars Global Surveyor was NASA's long-duration Mars-mapping orbiter design, built by Lockheed Martin for JPL and configured to study the planet from its ionosphere through its atmosphere, surface, and interior.
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Identity
- Aliases
- MGSMars Global Surveyor orbiter
- Family Name
- Mars Global Surveyor
- Full Name
- Mars Global Surveyor orbiter spacecraft
- Roles
- interplanetary_probeorbiterresearch
- Status
- retired
- Type
- spacecraft
Details
- Description
- Mars Global Surveyor was NASA's long-duration Mars-mapping orbiter design, built by Lockheed Martin for JPL and configured to study the planet from its ionosphere through its atmosphere, surface, and interior.
- Dimensions
- Height M
- 3
- Length M
- 1.5
- Width M
- 1.5
- First Flight Year
- 1,996
- Last Flight Year
- 2,006
- Manufacturer
- Operator
- Programs
- Propulsion Configurations
- Entries
- Count
- 1
- Propulsion System
- Role
- maneuvering
- Stage
- spacecraft
- Variant Notes
- One 659 N hydrazine and nitrogen-tetroxide dual-mode main engine for major trajectory corrections, Mars orbit insertion, and transfer to mapping orbit.
- Count
- 1
- Propulsion System
- Role
- maneuvering
- Stage
- spacecraft
- Variant Notes
- Twelve 4.45 N hydrazine thrusters in four reaction-engine modules for smaller trajectory corrections, roll control, attitude control during main-engine burns, and momentum management.
- Name
- Mars Global Surveyor dual-mode main and reaction-engine-module installation
- Notes
- NASA describes a dual-mode hydrazine and nitrogen-tetroxide system with a 659 N main engine and four reaction-engine modules containing twelve 4.45 N hydrazine thrusters. The main engine supported major trajectory and Mars-orbit maneuvers; the smaller thrusters supported trim, attitude, roll, and momentum management.
- Spacecraft Specs
- Launch Mass Kg
- 1030.5
- Reusability
- expendable
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- July 30, 2026 at 20:02:35 UTC
- Updated Time
- September 8, 2026 at 09:48:27 UTC