Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is a NASAspacecraft. It launched on August 12, 2005 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It arrived at Mars on March 10, 2006. It went into orbit around Mars, and has been studying the planet since then. Its main goal is to find water on Mars, below the surface, and in the air. To do this, it has the largest telescope ever sent to another planet. The orbiter also works as a communications satellite. Its powerful antennas send and receive messages between NASA on Earth, and rovers on the surface of Mars.[1]
Missions are ordered by launch date. Sign † indicates failure en route or before intended mission data returned. ‡ indicates use of the planet as a gravity assist en route to another destination.
