NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft successfully entered orbit late Tuesday around the Red Planet, where the space agency suffered embarrassing back-to-back failures on its previous two missions. Engineers and scientists received the first indication shortly before 8 p.m. local time that an engine firing slowed the spacecraft and allowed Mars to capture it into orbit.
October 24th, 2001
The USA Returns to Mars
The United States returned to Mars last night as NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey fired its main engine at 7:26 p.m. Pacific time on Oct. 23rd (0226 UT on Oct. 24th) and was captured into orbit around the red planet. At 7:55 p.m. Pacific time, flight controllers at the Deep Space Network station in Goldstone, Calif., and Canberra, Australia, picked up the first radio signal from the spacecraft as it emerged from behind the planet Mars.
October 23rd, 2001
In Crucial Test, New Probe to Begin Orbiting Mars New York Times
After the failures of its two predecessors, an American spacecraft is fast approaching Mars for a try at restoring success to the program of exploring the planet’s geological and, just possibly, biological history.
October 23rd, 2001
Mars Odyssey: The facts
A space craft is nearing Mars where it will attempt to orbit the Red Planet. BBC News Online science editor Dr David Whitehouse explains the purpose of the mission. Why is it called 2001 Mars Odyssey? It was inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey, the movie written by Arthur C Clarke and Stanley Kubrick, a movie that had nothing to do with Mars!
October 23rd, 2001
Moment of truth for Mars voyage
If all goes well, the 2001 Mars Odyssey spaceprobe will soon end its six-month journey spanning 460 million kilometres (286 million miles) and enter orbit around Mars to begin looking for frozen reservoirs of water on the Red Planet.
October 23rd, 2001
Mars Odyssey Spacecraft Poised to Arrive at Mars Today
NASA engineers will fire the Mars Odyssey rockets for 19 minutes tomorrow, hoping it will go into orbit around the red planet after 200 days of travel and about 285 million miles logged.
October 21st, 2001
Mars hopes rest on America The Scotsman
The latest mission to Mars arrives at the Red Planet this week, marking a crucial next step for a planned British-led search for life on its surface. The US has high hopes its Mars Odyssey spacecraft, which reaches Mars
October 19th, 2001
Odyssey Set To Burn Into Mars Orbit
After 200 days of travel and more than 460 million kilometers (about 285 million miles) logged on its odometer, NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft will fire its main engine for the first and only time October 23 and put itself into orbit around the red planet. To enter orbit, Odyssey’s propellant tanks, the size of big beachballs, must first be pressurized, plumbing lines heated, and the system primed before 262.8 kilograms (579.4 pounds) of propellant is burned in exactly the right direction for 19.7 minutes.
October 18th, 2001
Mars mission officials confident of successful arrival by Odyssey spacecraft
The 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft is on target to orbit the Red Planet next week and erase the stigma of back-to-back mission failures, NASA officials said Thursday. “I expect nothing less than a bull’s-eye the night of Oct. 23” when the spacecraft fires its main thruster and slips into orbit, said David A. Spencer, Odyssey’s mission manager, at a press conference at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.