To contribute to the four science goals, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has the following science objectives:
Six instruments on board the 2005 Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter are helping to achieve these objectives:
HiRISE (High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090827094407im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/images/spacer.gif) |
This visible camera reveals small-scale objects in the debris blankets of mysterious gullies and details of the geologic structure of canyons, craters, and layered deposits. [More]
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CRISM (Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometers for Mars) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090827094407im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/images/spacer.gif) |
This instrument splits visible and near-infrared light in its images into hundreds of "colors" that identify minerals, especially those likely formed in the presence of water, in surface areas not much bigger than a football field. [More]
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CTX (Context Imager) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090827094407im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/images/spacer.gif) |
This camera provides wide-area views to help provide a context for high-resolution analysis of key spots on Mars provided by HiRISE and CRISM. [More]
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SHARAD (Shallow Subsurface Radar) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090827094407im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/images/spacer.gif) |
This sounding radar probes beneath the Martian surface to see if water ice is present at depths greater than one meter (about 3 feet). [More]
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MCS (Mars Climate Sounder) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090827094407im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/images/spacer.gif) |
This atmospheric profiler detects vertical variations in temperature, dust, and water vapor concentrations in the Martian atmosphere. [More]
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MARCI (Mars Color Imager) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090827094407im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/images/spacer.gif) |
This weather camera monitors clouds and dust storms. [More] |