Mars Global Surveyor Reaches Mapping Orbit
News story originally written on February 22, 1999

Mars Global Surveyor is almost ready to start collecting data. Scientists are going to start testing their instruments. The satellite is now about 229 miles above Mars in its final mapping orbit.

Mars Global Surveyor will pass over the same part of Mars at the same time each day. Scientists need the satellite to be in this special orbit. That way, they won't have to worry about day and night changes. They want to measure how the areas change on longer timescales.

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