THE LATEST NEWS
Mars Emerging from Ice Age, Data Suggest
08 December 2003: Scientists have suspected in recent years that Mars might be undergoing some sort of global warming. New data points to the possibility it is emerging from an ice age.

Mars Orbiters Chip Away at an Icy World
27 May 2003: NASA's Mars Odyssey is chipping away at how and where ice forms on the red planet. New data is helping shape future strategies of exploring Mars, looking for life, and supporting future human explorers.

Odyssey Spacecraft Generates New Mars Mysteries
14 March 2003: Odyssey is generating new puzzles that scientists hope the probe will solve during the remainder of its tenure in orbit around the Red Planet.

Odyssey Shows Extreme, But Managable Radiation Risk for Astronauts
13 March 2003: Preliminary measurements of space radiation at Mars suggest that astronauts who travel there could face exposure to doses that over the course of a three-year mission would approach the lifetime safety limits set by NASA.

Trickle Down Theory of Melting Snow May Support Life on Mars
19 February 2003: Intriguing and often-examined gullies on Mars might not be created by water seeping out from underground springs. Rather, they are likely caused by trickling water from melting snowpacks, an active process that could sustain biology on the Red Planet.

Global Water Map: Mars Moisture Mysteries Revealed
16 February 2003: Ankle-deep water covering all of Mars. That's how much is thought to be lurking subsurface on the red planet.

Mars Loaded with Ice but Still No Sign of Water
09 December 2002: Water appears to have been mostly frozen for billions of years, experts say.

Water Ice Found Near South Pole of Mars
05 December 2002: Water ice has been discovered on the surface of Mars near the fringes of the southern polar cap, extending the detection of frozen water to three regions of the Red Planet.

Odyssey on SPACE TV

Launch: View from a camera looking down the Delta 2 rocket, just after liftoff. See Video! IMAGE: NASA TV

Odyssey Chief Scientist Ben Clark talks about aerobraking

How Odyssey will search for future landing sites

How Odyssey's equipment compares to Lunar Prospector's

Will Odyssey get a definitive answer on Mar water?

The radiation hazards of Mars

How well Odyssey will operate on Mars' night side

Odyssey to team up with Mars Global Surveyor

The Odyssey Begins

Mars' next visitor will have a familar name

NASA: How Aerobraking Works

Archived Odyssey Stories

Mars Odyssey Successfully Deploys Critical Science Boom 04 June 2002: The long mast is capped by scientific sensors critical in determining the elemental makeup of the Martian surface. Water Ice Discovery: 'Tip of an Iceberg' 28 May 2002: Both hemispheres harbor water ice within 3 feet of the surface -- reachable by robots or humans. Odyssey's Icy Discovery Warms Up Controversial Theories 28 May 2002: Did the Viking lander find life? Abundant Water Ice Found on Mars 01 March 2002: Away from the poles, this ice could be where the action is, lifewise. First Ever Night Images of Mars 01 March 2002: New era of exploration dawns. Radiation Instrument Back Online 12 March 2002: Odyssey can now fulfill all its objectives. Hints of the Water Ice Finding 26 February 2002: Tight-lipped scientists say big announcement is coming. Odyssey Deploys Antenna, Nearly Ready for Science Mission 07 February 2002: High-speed data downloads to Earth can begin. Odyssey Ready to Do Science 31 January 2002: The last orbit adjustments completed; mapping to start in February. Mars Odyssey Braking Complete, Arrives in Mapping Orbit 14 January 2002: Over the next few weeks, Odyssey's operators will refine the orbit. New Signs of Water Create Hope of Great Discovery 14 December 2001: Odyssey has uncovered preliminary yet tantalizing evidence for water near the surface of Mars and away from the permanently frozen north polar ice cap. Scientists are cautious but excited. Mission Update 13 December 2001: As Odyssey neared completion Wednesday of its 100th orbit, scientists had to contend with a surprisingly fickle Martian atmosphere. Mission Update 03 December 2001: Mission planners deal with "puzzles to be solved in daily aerobraking design activities." Water or No Water? Odyssey May Find Out 27 November 2001: What will Odyssey do that hasn't already been done? And why do we need yet another robotic probe orbiting Mars? Shouldn't we be sending geologists by now? And hey, isn't the real question, is there life on Mars? Mars Odyssey Encounters Polar Vortex 26 November 2001: Odyssey has encountered a strange, unexpected phenomenon as it slips over the red planet's north polar region. First Visible-Light Image Released 14 November 2001: The black-and-white picture shows that the craft's camera works. Aerobraking Going As Planned 13 November 2001: Healthy spacecraft gradually getting closer to Mars. Odyssey's First Image of Mars Exceeds Expectations 31 October 2001: The picture shows a strip of the Red Planet as seen by the craft's infrared camera. The Road Ahead 26 October 2001: Odyssey secures the legacy of Dan Goldin's "faster, better, cheaper" approach to space exploration. But what does it do for Mars exploration and the hopes for putting people on the Red Planet? Odyssey Orbit Looks Good, Now the Work Begins 24 October 2001, 2:36 pm ET: NASA scientists analyze the successful initial orbit insertion and the weeks-long task ahead. Spacecraft Enters Red Planet Orbit 23 October 2001, 11:03 p.m. ET: NASA said late Tuesday that the tricky orbit insertion had gone as planned. Tricky Science of Aerobraking Author Gentry Lee explains why it is one of the trickiest parts of the mission. Odyssey's First Picture of Mars Taken but Not Released 30 October 2001: The thermal infrared image is expected to be released later this week. Minute-by-Minute Schedule for Orbit Insertion 23 October 2001: All the technical details as they were planned for the maneuver. Why Failure Is Not an Option 22 October 2001: "Obviously, nobody wants to fail. But to tell you the truth, you cant guarantee that well be totally successful," said Bob Berry, Lockheed Martins Odyssey Program Manager who, nonetheless, is optimistic the orbit insertion will succeed. Mars Odyssey Ready for Tuesday Orbit Insertion, Details Outlined 18 October 2001: With just five days to go, managers laid out the timetable for insertion, one of the most crucial maneuvers in the mission. Huge Dust Storm on Mars: Mission Managers Cast Wary Eye 10 October 2001: Massive storm covers most of Mars, possibly altering plans for Odyssey's arrival. Hobbled Odyssey Nears Mars 10 October 2001: Hope mixes with concern at NASA; update on two instrument glitches.