Mars Observer

Also known as Mars Observer; MO

space probe

Key facts

Names: Mars Geoscience Climatology Orbiter
Mission type: Mars orbiter
Operator: NASA / JPL
Cospar id: 1992-063A
Website: science.nasa.gov
Mission duration: 330 days, Mission failure
Bus: Mars Observer bus (AS-4000-TIROS/DMSP hybrid)
Manufacturer: General Electric , Astro Space
Launch mass: 1,018 kg (2,244 lb)
Power: 1,147 watts
Launch date: September 25, 1992, 17:05:01 ( 1992-09-25UTC17:05:01Z ) UTC
Rocket: Commercial Titan III / TOS

Article

Mars Observer was an American robotic space probe launched by NASA on September 25, 1992, to study the surface, atmosphere, climate and magnetic field of Mars. The spacecraft was developed and managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The project originated with a 1984 proposal for a new Mars mission, originally titled the Mars Geoscience Climatology Orbiter. As the first and ultimately only mission in the Planetary Observer program, its design was based on earlier Earth-orbiting satellites, including the TIROS and DMSP series. Seven scientific instruments were included.