Editing Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (section)

=== MCS ===
<!-- could add anchor Mars Climate Sounder (so redirect can find) -->

The '''Mars Climate Sounder (MCS)''' is a radiometer that looks both down and horizontally through the atmosphere in order to quantify the [[Atmosphere of Mars#Vertical structure|atmosphere's vertical variations]]. It has one visible/near infrared channel (0.3 to 3.0&nbsp;μm) and eight [[far infrared]] (12 to 50&nbsp;μm) channels selected for the purpose. MCS observes the atmosphere on the horizon of Mars (as viewed from MRO) by breaking it up into vertical slices and taking measurements within each slice in {{convert|5|km|abbr=on}} increments. These measurements are assembled into daily global weather maps to show the basic variables of [[Climate of Mars|Martian weather]]: temperature, pressure, humidity, and [[Martian soil#Atmospheric dust|dust density]].<ref name="Spacecraft Parts: Instruments: MCS"/> The MCS weighs roughly {{Convert|9|kg|lb|abbr=on}} and began operation in November 2006.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jau |first=Bruno M. |chapter=Mechanical Description of the Mars Climate Sounder Instrument |date=March 2008 |title=2008 IEEE Aerospace Conference |chapter-url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/aero.2008.4526543 |pages=1–8 |publisher=[[IEEE]] |doi=10.1109/aero.2008.4526543|isbn=978-1-4244-1487-1 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=MRO Science Instruments |url=https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-reconnaissance-orbiter/science-instruments/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=[[NASA]] |language=en-US |archive-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240629230542/https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-reconnaissance-orbiter/science-instruments/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Since beginning operation, it has helped create maps of mesospheric clouds,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lea |first=Robert |date=2023-11-06 |title=Citizen scientists detect patterns in clouds over Mars |url=https://www.space.com/mars-clouds-citizen-science-cloudspotting |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=[[Space.com]] |language=en |archive-date=December 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209235457/https://www.space.com/mars-clouds-citizen-science-cloudspotting |url-status=live }}</ref> study and categorize dust storms,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kass |first1=D. M. |last2=Schofield |first2=J. T. |last3=Kleinböhl |first3=A. |last4=McCleese |first4=D. J. |last5=Heavens |first5=N. G. |last6=Shirley |first6=J. H. |last7=Steele |first7=L. J. |date=2020-12-16 |title=Mars Climate Sounder Observation of Mars' 2018 Global Dust Storm |url=https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2019GL083931 |journal=[[Geophysical Research Letters]] |language=en |volume=47 |issue=23 |doi=10.1029/2019GL083931 |bibcode=2020GeoRL..4783931K |issn=0094-8276 |access-date=July 1, 2024 |archive-date=May 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506183721/https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2019GL083931 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription }}</ref> and provide direct evidence of [[Dry ice#Extraterrestrial occurrence|carbon dioxide snow]] on Mars.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Cray |first=Daniel |date=2012-09-17 |title=Martian Blizzard! It's Snowing on the Red Planet |url=https://science.time.com/2012/09/17/martian-blizzard-its-snowing-on-the-red-planet/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |magazine=Time |language=en-US |issn=0040-781X |archive-date=March 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240305004708/https://science.time.com/2012/09/17/martian-blizzard-its-snowing-on-the-red-planet/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

This instrument, supplied by NASA's [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory]] (JPL), is an updated version of a heavier, larger instrument originally developed at JPL for the 1992 ''[[Mars Observer]]'' and 1998 ''[[Mars Climate Orbiter]]'' missions,<ref>{{Cite web |title=MRO MCS |url=https://arcnav.psi.edu/urn:nasa:pds:context:instrument:mcs.mro |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=Planetary Data System |archive-date=January 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120181600/https://arcnav.psi.edu/urn:nasa:pds:context:instrument:mcs.mro |url-status=live }}</ref> which both failed.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=McCleese |first1=D. J. |last2=Schofield |first2=J. T. |last3=Taylor |first3=F. W. |last4=Calcutt |first4=S. B. |last5=Foote |first5=M. C. |last6=Kass |first6=D. M. |last7=Leovy |first7=C. B. |last8=Paige |first8=D. A. |last9=Read |first9=P. L. |last10=Zurek |first10=R. W. |date=May 2007 |title=Mars Climate Sounder: An investigation of thermal and water vapor structure, dust and condensate distributions in the atmosphere, and energy balance of the polar regions |url=https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2006JE002790 |journal=[[Journal of Geophysical Research]] |language=en |volume=112 |issue=E05S06 |doi=10.1029/2006JE002790 |bibcode=2007JGRE..112.5S06M |issn=0148-0227}}</ref>