Mars Global Surveyor
Mars Orbiter Camera
South Polar Mesas
MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-573, 13 December 2003
NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems |
|
NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems |
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows mesas---the eroded remnants of a former layer or group of layers---in the south polar region of Mars. The circular feature at the top of the image is an old meteor impact crater that has been somewhat covered by younger materials; a remnant of the layer that comprises the mesas is also found on the floor of this crater. The image is located near 79.3°S, 299.0°W, and covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide. Sunlight illuminates this scene from the upper left.
Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, California. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, California and Denver, Colorado.
To MSSS Home Page