PIA09638: Proposed MSL Site in Nili Fossae Crater
 Target Name:  Mars
 Is a satellite of:  Sol (our sun)
 Mission:  Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO)
 Spacecraft:  Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO)
 Instrument:  HiRISE
 Product Size:  2048 x 5512 pixels (w x h)
 Produced By:  University of Arizona/HiRISE-LPL
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA09638.tif (11.3 MB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA09638.jpg (1.202 MB)

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HiRISE image (PSP_002743_1985) of proposed landing site for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) in Nili Fossae Crater.

Observation Toolbox
Acquisition date: 2 February 2007
Local Mars time: 3:36 PM
Degrees latitude (centered): 18.5°
Degrees longitude (East): 77.5°
Range to target site: 283.0 km (176.9 miles)
Original image scale range: 28.3 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~85 cm across are resolved
Map-projected scale: 25 cm/pixel and north is up
Map-projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission angle: 9.0°
Phase angle: 66.8°
Solar incidence angle: 58°, with the Sun about 32° above the horizon
Solar longitude: 190.5°, Northern Autumn

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the instrument was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corp., Boulder, Colo.

Image Credit:
NASA/JPL/Univ. of Arizona

Image Addition Date:
2007-03-28