Comments on: Mars Global Surveyor: not looking good

By: spaecerader

spaecerader — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 01:53:16 +0000

There is still Mars Reconnasence Orbiter and oddyssey orbiter they can both communicate with the rovers.

By: MaDeR

MaDeR — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 23:40:47 +0000

Anyone have good epitaph for MGS grave?

By: Melusine

Melusine — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 15:54:35 +0000

Oh, duh, http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/express/

Thanks, Jenn.

By: Jenn

Jenn — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 15:21:59 +0000

Spirit and Opportunity can both communicate directly to Earth, but they also both routinely use NASA’s Odyssey for relay of their data. They have both also used Mars Global Surveyor for data relay, as a backup. So, no, the loss of MGS is not also the loss of the Rovers. The ESA orbiter is Mars Express.

By: Melusine

Melusine — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 15:14:50 +0000

Rob, are you thinking of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter?

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 14:08:11 +0000

I think Spirit and Opportunity communicate directly with Earth most of the time – certainly they seems to have been doing things since NASA lost contact with MGS. There’s the European orbiter up there still as well (whose name escapes me right now).

By: sirjonsnow

sirjonsnow — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 13:45:30 +0000

So, you’re saying there may be more to this than meets the eye?