MARS | Science

MRO aerobraking predicted densities at 120 km as a function of latitude. Density units are kg/km
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Prediction of the structure of the martian upper atmosphere for the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) mission

1Stephen W. Bougher, 2James R. Murphy, 1Jared M. Bell and 3Richard W. Zurek

1Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
2Dept. of Astronomy, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
3Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA

Mars 2, 10-20, 2006 | doi:10.1555/mars.2006.0002
Received April 3, 2006 | Accepted May 30, 2006 | Published June 16, 2006

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) spacecraft will undergo aerobraking from April through September 2006 in order to achieve the desired mapping orbit. This aerobraking process requires knowledge of the structure of the Mars upper atmosphere, which is provided through General Circulation Model predictions summarized in this paper.

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MARS | Science

Prediction of the structure of the martian upper atmosphere for the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) mission

1Stephen W. Bougher, 2James R. Murphy, 1Jared M. Bell and 3Richard W. Zurek

1Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA 2Dept. of Astronomy, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA 3Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA

1Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
2Dept. of Astronomy, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
3Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA