Editing Mars Climate Orbiter (section)

===Spacecraft design===
The ''Mars Climate Orbiter'' bus measured {{cvt|2.1|m|ftin}} tall, {{cvt|1.6|m|ftin}} wide and {{cvt|2.0|m|ftin}} deep. The internal structure was largely constructed with graphite composite/aluminum honeycomb supports, a design found in many commercial [[airplane]]s. With the exception of the scientific instruments, battery and main engine, the spacecraft included dual redundancy on the most important systems.{{r|Arrival_Press_Kit|mco_cost}} The spacecraft weighed {{cvt|638|kg|lb}}.{{r|launch_prep}}

The spacecraft was [[Spacecraft attitude control|three-axis stabilized]] and included eight [[hydrazine]] [[Monopropellant rocket|monopropellant]] thrusters: four {{cvt|22|N}} thrusters to perform trajectory corrections and four {{cvt|0.9|N|ozf}} thrusters to [[Spacecraft attitude control|control attitude]]. Orientation of the spacecraft was determined by a [[star tracker]], two [[Sun sensor]]s and two [[Spacecraft attitude control|inertial measurement units]]. Orientation was controlled by firing the thrusters or using three [[reaction wheel]]s. To perform the Mars orbital insertion maneuver, the spacecraft also included a [[LEROS]] 1B main engine rocket,{{r|leros-1b}} providing {{cvt|640|N}} of thrust by burning [[hydrazine]] fuel with [[Dinitrogen tetroxide#Use as a rocket propellant|nitrogen tetroxide]] (NTO) oxidizer.{{r|Arrival_Press_Kit|mco_cost}}

The spacecraft included a {{cvt|1.3|m|ftin}} [[Directional antenna|high-gain antenna]] to transceive data with the [[NASA Deep Space Network|Deep Space Network]] over the [[x band]]. The radio transponder designed for the ''[[Cassini–Huygens]]'' mission was used as a cost-saving measure.  It also included a two-way [[Ultra high frequency|UHF]] radio frequency system to relay communications with [[Mars Polar Lander]] upon an expected landing on December 3, 1999.{{r|Arrival_Press_Kit|mco_cost|Launch_Press_Kit}}

The space probe was powered with a [[photovoltaic system|three-panel solar array]], providing an average of 500&nbsp;W at Mars.  Deployed, the solar array measured {{cvt|5.5|m|ftin}} in length. Power was stored in 12-cell, 16-amp-hour [[Nickel–hydrogen battery|nickel-hydrogen batteries]]. The batteries were intended to be recharged when the solar array received sunlight and power the spacecraft as it passed into the shadow of Mars. When entering into orbit around Mars, the solar array was to be utilized in the [[aerobraking]] maneuver, to slow the spacecraft until a circular orbit was achieved. The design was largely adapted from guidelines from the Small Spacecraft Technology Initiative outlined in the book, ''Technology for Small Spacecraft''.{{r|Arrival_Press_Kit|mco_cost|Panel}}

In an effort to simplify previous implementations of computers on spacecraft, ''Mars Climate Orbiter'' featured a single computer using an IBM [[RAD6000]] processor utilizing a [[POWER1|POWER1 ISA]] capable of 5, 10 or 20&nbsp;MHz operation. Data storage was to be maintained on 128 [[Megabyte|MB]] of [[random-access memory]] (RAM) and 18 MB of [[flash memory]]. The flash memory was intended to be used for highly important data, including triplicate copies of the flight system software.{{r|Arrival_Press_Kit}}