MAVEN: Science Orbit

Credits

• Animators

  • Greg Shirah (NASA/GSFC) [Lead]
  • Ernie Wright (USRA)

• Scientists

  • Bruce Jakosky (LASP)
  • David Folta (NASA/GSFC)

• Producer

  • Dan Gallagher (KBR Wyle Services, LLC)

• Project support

  • Ian Jones (ADNET Systems, Inc.)
  • Laurence Schuler (ADNET Systems, Inc.)

Related Pages

• Related

  • 

    ID: 4702 Infographic

    MAVEN Aerobraking to Achieve Science and Relay Orbit

    Feb. 11th, 2019
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    Aerobraking plan for MAVEN. (left) Current MAVEN orbit around Mars — 6200-km highest altitude, and an orbit period of ~4.5 hours. (center) Aerobraking process — MAVEN performs a series of “deep dip” orbits approaching to within ~125 km of Mars at lowest altitude, causing drag from the atmosphere slow down the spacecraft. Over roughly three-hundred and sixty orbits spanning about two months, this slowing reduces the spacecraft’s highest altitude to ~4500 km and its orbit period to ~3.5 hours. (right) Post-aerobraking orbit, with reduced altitude and shorter orbit period. || maven_aerobraking_comp_03_print.jpg (1024x576) [90.4 KB] || MavenAerobrakingDiagram.jpg (3840x2160) [679.4 KB] || maven_aerobraking_comp_03_searchweb.png (320x180) [38.7 KB] || maven_aerobraking_comp_03_thm.png (80x40) [4.9 KB] || maven_aerobraking_comp_03.tif (3840x2160) [23.8 MB] ||

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  • 

    ID: 4414 Visualization

    The Mars Fleet

    March 21st, 2016
    (updated Nov. 14th, 2023)

    A fleet of landers, rovers, and orbiters is exploring the Red Planet, providing mission controllers with a remote presence on Mars. This visualization is available for download in 4K Ultra HD. || MarsFleetClosePreview.jpg (1920x1080) [168.3 KB] || MarsFleetClosePreview_searchweb.png (320x180) [55.1 KB] || MarsFleetClosePreview_thm.png (80x40) [5.4 KB] || Mars_Fleet_SVS_4414.00015_searchweb.png (320x180) [66.1 KB] || mars_fleet_Mar2016_4k_2160p30.00015_searchweb.png (320x180) [61.1 KB] || Mars_Fleet_SVS_4414.mov (1920x1080) [1.2 GB] || mars_fleet_Mar2016_HD_1080p60.mp4 (1920x1080) [14.9 MB] || frames/1920x1080_16x9_60p/version1/ (1920x1080) [256.0 KB] || mars_fleet_Jan2016_1080p30.webm (1920x1080) [4.3 MB] || Mars_Fleet_SVS_4414_4k.mov (3840x2160) [4.6 GB] || mars_fleet_Mar2016_4k_2160p30.mp4 (3840x2160) [48.6 MB] || mars_fleet_Mar2016_640x360.m4v (640x360) [6.7 MB] || frames/3840x2160_16x9_60p/version1/ (3840x2160) [256.0 KB] ||

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  • 

    ID: 11636 Produced Video

    Targeting Mars

    Sept. 4th, 2014
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    If you want to send a spacecraft from Earth to Mars, how would you get it there? You can't aim straight at the Red Planet, because it's moving around the Sun significantly slower than the Earth. Instead, you'll have to wait for up to 26 months for a launch window, then carefully aim at a moving target. In November, 2013, the controllers of NASA's MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) spacecraft did just that. When MAVEN arrives, it will be the first spacecraft to study Mars's upper atmosphere in detail, helping scientists understand how Mars changed from a wet planet early in its history to the cold, dry world we see today. ||

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• Used as a Source In

  • 

    ID: 13625 Produced Video

    First Map of Mars Electric Currents

    May 25th, 2020
    (updated Nov. 9th, 2023)

    MAVEN data have enabled the first map of the electric current systems (blue and red arrows) that shape the induced magnetic field surrounding Mars.Credit: NASA/Goddard/MAVEN/CU Boulder/SVSUniversal Production Music: “A Lucid Dream” and “Shimmer Oscillations” by James Joshua OttoWatch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available. || MarsElectricCurrentsPreview6_print.jpg (1024x576) [305.8 KB] || MarsElectricCurrentsPreview6.jpg (1920x1080) [853.6 KB] || MarsElectricCurrentsPreview6_searchweb.png (320x180) [50.6 KB] || MarsElectricCurrentsPreview6_thm.png (80x40) [5.3 KB] || 13625_Mars_Electric_Currents_Facebook.mp4 (1920x1080) [359.1 MB] || 13625_Mars_Electric_Currents_Twitter.mp4 (1280x720) [63.8 MB] || 13625_Mars_Electric_Currents_MASTER.mov (3840x2160) [14.2 GB] || 13625_Mars_Electric_Currents_YouTube.mp4 (3840x2160) [2.8 GB] || 13625_Mars_Electric_Currents_YouTube.webm (3840x2160) [91.7 MB] || 13625_Mars_Electric_Currents_Captions.en_US.srt [7.2 KB] || 13625_Mars_Electric_Currents_Captions.en_US.vtt [6.8 KB] ||

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