iTWire - Mars Express sends 'sharpest ever' photos of Phobos

Mars Express sends 'sharpest ever' photos of Phobos

by Stephen Withers
Thursday, 31 July 2008
Page 1 of 2 ! The European Space Agency's Mars Express probe has transmitted the sharpest and most detailed images of Phobos, one of the two Martian moons. The photos were taken using the craft's high resolution stereo camera at a distance of just 93 km (58 miles) from the Martian moon. The best images have a resolution of 3.7 metres (12 ft) per pixel. This is the first time that the entire disc of Phobos has been photographed at such high resolution and in 3D. It is also the first time that portions of the far side of Phobos have been photographed at such high resolution. The images include the proposed landing site for the Russian Phobos-Grunt mission scheduled for 2009, which is intended to return soil samples to Earth. The images clearly show a series of grooves running around Phobos, but their origin remains uncertain. The close flyby of Phobos was possible because Mars Express is in such an elliptical orbit around Mars. Although it travels as close to the planet as 270 km (168 miles), it also swings out to a maximum of 10,000 km (6200 miles) - well beyond Phobos's 9000 km (5600 mile) orbit. You'll find more information and a link to the ESA photos on page 2. << First page < 1 2 Next page > Last page - Post your comment >>

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