← ALL PROBES
DISTANCE FROM SUN1.5855 AU
DISTANCE FROM EARTH1.4964 AU
VELOCITY22.958 km/s
LIGHT TIME12 min
ACTIVE
UPDATED5h ago
1.5855
AU FROM SUN
DISTANCE
237,187,424 km
82,649
KM/H
VELOCITY
23 years, 144 days
MISSION DURATION
AND COUNTING
12
MINUTES LIGHT TIME
ONE-WAY SIGNAL DELAY
1,120
KG
LAUNCH MASS
2
TARGETS
Mars, Phobos
Mars Express is a orbiter mission by ESA targeting Mars. Launched June 2, 2003. Currently 1.5855 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
🚀 LAUNCH MISSION