Mars Express sets a new migration record for Earth-based Mars missions

For 19 years, the Mars Express spacecraft has orbited the Red Planet, providing stunning views and valuable insights into Mars. The hard-working orbiter didn’t just move it private data back to Earth, but it also provided a line of communication between other Mars missions and ground-based observation.

The European Space Agency (ESA) Mars Express recently set a new record with data transmission for a total of Seven different missions to the surface of Mars, an important achievement in helping scientists paint a complete picture of the planet’s history, space agency announce Friday. The last long-distance call was made on behalf of NASA’s Perseverance VehicleThe Martian robot that has been roaming the Red Planet since February 2021.

This isn’t the first time a Mars craft has borrowed a line back to Earth from the Mars Express spacecraft. In 2004, the orbiter flew NASA’s Spirit spacecraft It sent a series of commands to the robot, while Spirit sent its data to Mars Express for relay back to Earth. This is remarkable The first time, two space agencies established a communications network around another planet.

After making the three-way call with Spirit and ground control, ESA’s Mars Express conducted seven communication tests with Spirit’s twin vehicle, Opportunity, in 2008. Later in 2012, Mars Express transmitted valuable data from Spirit. NASA’s Curiosity Probe, which has been roaming Mars for 10 years, to monitor the mission. The spacecraft did this by pointing its probe’s communication antenna toward Curiosity for 15 minutes while the rover transmits data to it, then pointing its more powerful high-gain antenna toward Earth to link the information. The data in question was an image of a rock on the surface of Mars, and this was the first time that Mars Express had been used to transmit scientific data.

Apart from the four NASA robots, Mars Express also transmitted data from NASA’s Insight Lander And the Chinese Zhurong rover. TThe probe also helped track the landing of a rocket NASA Phoenix Lander in May 2008.

The Mars Express spacecraft left Earth for Mars in June 2003 and entered Martian orbit following a six-month journey through space. The aging orbiter is still going strong and recently had a much-needed Software upgrade To improve its ability to send and receive signals. Although Mars Express is the least expensive ESA mission Even today, In addition to its data, valuable data have been provided on Mars Moon Phobos. After 19 years in service, the orbiter may finish its mission by December of this year, and finally Hang her line on the floor.

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