This is an image of a plateau and surrounding steep slopes within the Valles Marineris.
Click on image for full size
Image from: Malin Space Science Systems
An Overview of the Mars Global Surveyor Mission
The mission of Mars Global Surveyor (MGS for short) is to map the
surface of Mars from space. MGS is also looking at the atmosphere of Mars and the weather of Mars.
MGS and the
Mars Pathfinder (MPF for short), were both part of theMars Surveyor Program.
MGS has already sent tons of data back to Earth. This data is helping scientists understand the surface and atmosphere of Mars. MGS also made sure there was a Martian magnetosphere.
As of April 25, 2001, the MGS was still going strong! The spacecraft has been in space 1,631 days and has completed 9,530 mapping orbits of Mars!
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