1.52
AU FROM SUN
DISTANCE
227,388,763 km
22 years, 300 days
MISSION DURATION
AND COUNTING
1,120
KG
LAUNCH MASS
2
TARGETS
Mars, Phobos
Mars Express is a orbiter mission by ESA targeting Mars. Launched June 2, 2003. Currently 1.52 AU from the Sun.
ABOUT MARS EXPRESS
Mars Express is ESA’s first planetary mission, studying Mars from orbit since 2003. Its MARSIS radar made the groundbreaking discovery of a subsurface lake of liquid water beneath Mars’s south polar ice cap in 2018. It continues to provide high-resolution imagery and mineral mapping of the Martian surface.
KEY DISCOVERIES
- Subsurface liquid water lake detected under south polar cap
- Methane detection in Mars atmosphere
- Detailed 3D mapping of Mars surface
TECHNOLOGY & FIRSTS
- First European Mars mission
- MARSIS: first orbital radar to probe below Mars surface
SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS (7)
HRSC (Stereo camera)
OMEGA (IR mineralogy mapper)
MARSIS (Subsurface radar)
PFS (Planetary Fourier Spectrometer)
ASPERA-3 (Plasma analyzer)
MaRS (Radio science)
SPICAM (UV/IR spectrometer)
SPACECRAFT SPECIFICATIONS
Launch Mass1,120 kg (2,470 lbs)
PowerSolar panels
Launch VehicleSoyuz-FG / Fregat
Launch DateJune 2, 2003
Arrival DateDecember 25, 2003
ProgramMars Express
MISSION TRAJECTORY
1
Mars
2
Phobos
OTHER MARS MISSIONS