Editing Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (section)

{{Short description|NASA spacecraft active since 2005}}
{{Italic title}}
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{{Infobox spaceflight
| name               = ''Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter''
| image              = Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, front view, artist's concept (PIA07245).jpg
| image_caption      = ''Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter'' spacecraft
| mission_type       = [[Mars]] orbiter
| operator           = [[NASA]]{{\}}[[Jet Propulsion Laboratory]]
| website            = {{URL|https://mars.nasa.gov/mro/}}<br />{{URL|nasa.gov/mission_pages/MRO/main/index.html}}
| COSPAR_ID          = 2005-029A
| SATCAT             = 28788
| mission_duration   = <small>{{Age in years, months and days|year=2005|month=08|day=12}} from launch ({{Age in years, months and days|year=2006|month=03|day=10}} ({{age in sols|2006|03|10}}&nbsp;[[Timekeeping on Mars#Sols|sols]]) at Mars)</small>
| spacecraft_type    = 
| manufacturer       = [[Lockheed Martin Space Systems|Lockheed Martin]]{{\}}[[University of Arizona]]{{\}}[[Applied Physics Laboratory]]{{\}}[[Italian Space Agency]]{{\}}[[Malin Space Science Systems]]
| launch_mass        = {{convert|2180|kg|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/mars-reconnaissance-orbiter/in-depth/ |title=Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter |publisher=NASA's Solar System Exploration website |access-date=December 1, 2022 |archive-date=September 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180908033328/https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/mars-reconnaissance-orbiter/in-depth/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| dry_mass           = {{convert|1031|kg|abbr=on}}
| payload_mass       = {{convert|139|kg|abbr=on}}
| power              = 600–2000&nbsp;[[watt]]s
| launch_date        = {{start date text|August 12, 2005, 11:43:00|timezone=yes}}&nbsp;UTC
| launch_rocket      = [[Atlas V]] 401
| launch_site        = [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station|Cape Canaveral]] [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 41|SLC-41]]
| launch_contractor  = [[Lockheed Martin Space|Lockheed Martin]]
| last_contact       = <!-- {{end-date|[date]}} -->
| decay_date         = 
| orbit_epoch        = 
| orbit_reference    = [[Areocentric orbit|Areocentric]]
| orbit_regime       = [[Sun-synchronous orbit|Sun-synchronous]]<ref name="Lyons"/>
| orbit_periapsis    = 
| orbit_apoapsis     = 
| orbit_inclination  = 93&nbsp;degrees<ref name="Lyons"/>
| orbit_period       = 111 minutes
| apsis              = areion
| interplanetary     = {{Infobox spaceflight/IP
 | type                = orbiter
 | object              = [[Mars]]
 | orbits              = 
 | arrival_date        = March 10, 2006, 21:24:00&nbsp;UTC<br /><small>[[Timekeeping on Mars|MSD]] 46990 12:48 [[Airy Mean Time|AMT]]</small>
 }}
| insignia           = Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter insignia.png
| insignia_alt       = Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter insignia
| insignia_caption   = Official insignia of the ''Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter'' mission
| insignia_size      = 90px

| programme             = '''[[Mars Exploration Program]]'''
| previous_mission      = [[Opportunity (rover)|Opportunity]]
| next_mission          = [[Phoenix (spacecraft)|Phoenix]]
}}

The '''''Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter''''' ('''''MRO''''') is a [[spacecraft]] designed to search for the existence of [[water on Mars]] and provide support for missions to [[Mars]], as part of [[NASA]]'s [[Mars Exploration Program]]. It was launched from [[Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 41|Cape Canaveral]] on August 12, 2005, at 11:43 UTC and reached Mars on March 10, 2006, at 21:24 UTC. In November 2006, after six months of [[aerobraking]], it entered its final science [[orbit]] and began its primary science phase.

Mission objectives include observing the [[climate of Mars]], investigating [[Geology of Mars|geologic forces]], providing reconnaissance of future landing sites, and relaying data from surface missions back to Earth. To support these objectives, the ''MRO'' carries different scientific instruments, including three cameras, two [[spectrometer]]s and a [[SHARAD|subsurface radar]]. As of July 29, 2023, the ''MRO'' has returned over 450 [[terabits]] of data, helped choose safe landing sites for NASA's Mars [[List of Mars landers|landers]], discovered pure water ice in new craters and [[Evidence of water on Mars found by Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter|further evidence]] that water once flowed on the surface on Mars.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter |url=https://mars.nasa.gov/mro/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230729210615/https://mars.nasa.gov/mro/ |archive-date=July 29, 2023 |access-date=July 29, 2023 |website=[[NASA]]}}</ref>

The spacecraft continues to operate at Mars, far beyond its intended design life. Due to its critical role as a high-speed data-relay for ground missions, NASA intends to continue the mission as long as possible, at least through the late 2020s. As of {{Currentmonth}} {{Currentday}}, {{Currentyear}}, the ''MRO'' has been active at Mars for {{Age in sols|day1=10|year1=2006|month1=March}} [[Mars sol|sols]], or {{Age in years, months and days|2006|March|10}}, and is the third longest-lived spacecraft to orbit Mars, after ''[[2001 Mars Odyssey]]'' and ''[[Mars Express]]''.