File:Mars-express-volcanoes-sm.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Mars Express is a spacecraft operated by the European Space Agency that orbits Mars and studies the planet from space. It matters because it helps scientists understand Mars' geology, atmosphere, and potential for past life by gathering detailed images and data about the Red Planet.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Mission type
- Mars orbiter
- Operator
- ESA
- Cospar id
- 2003-022A
- Website
- exploration .esa .int /mars
- Mission duration
- Elapsed: 23 years and 1 day since launch 22 years, 5 months and 9 days at Mars
- Launch mass
- 1,123 kg
- Dry mass
- 666 kg (1,468 lb)
- Power
- 460 watts
- Launch date
- June 2, 2003, 17:45 ( 2003-06-02UTC17:45Z ) UTC
- Rocket
- Soyuz-FG / Fregat
- Launch site
- Baikonur 31/6
- Contractor
- Starsem
- Reference system
- Areocentric
- Periareion altitude
- 298 km (185 mi)
- Apoareion altitude
- 10,107 km (6,280 mi)
- Inclination
- 86.3 degrees
- Period
- 7.5 hours
- Spacecraft component
- Mars Express
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- orbiter
- Operator
- European Space Agency
- Parent body
- Mars
- Mass
- 71
- Orbital period
- 7.5
- Manufacturer
- Alenia Aeronautica
- Official website
- cosmos.esa.int/web/mars-express
- Image
- Mars Express illustration highlighting MARSIS antenna.jpg
Show 10 more facts
- Commons category
- Mars Express
- space launch vehicle
- Soyuz-FG
- UTC date of spacecraft launch
- 2003-06-02
- topic's main category
- Category:Mars Express
- start point
- Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31
- orbital eccentricity
- 0.571
- periapsis
- 298
- apoapsis
- 10107
- orbital inclination
- 86.3
- launch contractor
- Starsem
Sources (7)
via Wikidata · CC0
~40 min read
Encyclopedic overview
ESA insignia (2020s)
Mars Express is a space exploration mission by the European Space Agency (ESA) exploring the planet Mars and its moons since 2003, and the first planetary mission attempted by ESA.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Mars Express” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.