MARSIS instrument ready to look for water on Mars

Brussels, 21 Jun 2005

The European Space Agency (ESA) confirmed the successful deployment of the second 20-metre antenna boom of the MARSIS instrument onboard Mars Express on 16 June, following a delay of more than a year.

A third seven-metre 'monopole' boom, which will be used to correct surface roughness effects on the radio waves emitted by MARSIS, was deployed the following day. This deployment was not considered critical, however, due to the boom's perpendicular orientation to the other two antenna and its shorter length.

A series of tests were carried out in the 48 hours following the deployment of the second boom, designed to verify that it was successfully locked and that the manoeuvre had not affected the integrity of systems onboard ESA's Mars orbiter. These confirmed that the spacecraft is in optimal shape and under control, and that the antenna is locked straight in the correct position.

With the three booms now fully deployed, the MARSIS instrument is now ready to continue its search for water on Mars by 'looking' beneath the planet's surface, and also study it's upper atmosphere (ionosphere). It will make soundings beneath the surface by night, and probe the ionosphere by day.

ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain said: 'This is a great success following some tense moments and careful judgements. The result shows the power of the teamwork between ESA, European industry and ESA's partners in the scientific community in Europe and elsewhere.'

For further information, please consult the following web address:
http:///www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars_Expre ss /
http://www.marsis.com/

CORDIS RTD-NEWS / © European Communities
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