Editing Mars Climate Orbiter (section)

==Mission profile==
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Timeline of travel
|-
! scope="col" | Date !! scope="col" | Time<br>(UTC) !! scope="col" style="width: 20em;" | Event
|-
| align="center" | Dec 11<br>1998 || 18:45:51 || Spacecraft launched
|-
| rowspan="7" align="center" | Sep 23<br>1999 || 08:41:00 || Insertion begins. Orbiter stows solar array.
|-
| 08:50:00 || Orbiter turns to correct orientation to begin main engine burn.
|-
| 08:56:00 || Orbiter fires pyrotechnic devices which open valves to begin pressurizing the fuel and oxidizer tanks.
|-
| 09:00:46 || Main engine burn starts; expected to fire for 16 minutes 23 seconds.
|-
| 09:04:52 || Communication with spacecraft lost
|-
| 09:06:00 || Orbiter expected to enter Mars [[occultation]], out of radio contact with Earth.<ref group="n" name="t">Planned but unaccounted for event.</ref>
|-
| 09:27:00 || Expected to exit Mars occultation.<ref group="n" name="t" />
|-
| align="center" | Sep 25<br>1999 || || Mission declared a loss. Reason for loss known. No further attempts to contact.
|}

===Launch and trajectory===
The ''Mars Climate Orbiter'' probe was launched on December 11, 1998, at 18:45:51 UTC by NASA from [[Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17|Space Launch Complex 17A]] at the [[Cape Canaveral Air Station]] in Florida, aboard a [[Delta II|Delta II 7425]] launch vehicle. The complete burn sequence lasted 42 minutes bringing the spacecraft into a [[Hohmann transfer orbit]], sending the probe into a 9.5-month, {{convert|669|e6km|abbr=unit}} trajectory.{{r|Arrival_Press_Kit|Launch_Press_Kit}} At launch, ''Mars Climate Orbiter'' weighed {{cvt|638|kg|lb}} including propellant.{{r|launch_prep}}

<gallery>
File:Mars Climate Orbiter - launch configuration.png|alt=Wireframe diagram of the rocket and orbiter|Exploded diagram of Delta II launch vehicle with ''Mars Climate Orbiter''
File:Mars Climate Orbiter - launch.jpg|alt=Rocket during launch|Launch of ''Mars Climate Orbiter'' by NASA on a [[Delta II]] 7425 launch vehicle
File:Mars Climate Orbiter - interplanetary trajectory.png|alt=Diagram of the interplanetary trajectory|Interplanetary trajectory of ''Mars Climate Orbiter''
File:Mars Climate Orbiter - aerobraking.png|alt=Diagram of aerobraking approach with periods of 2, 5, 9, and 15 hours|Aerobraking procedure to place ''Mars Climate Orbiter'' into orbit around Mars
</gallery>

=== Encounter with Mars ===
<gallery>
File:Mars Climate Orbiter - Mars encounter - PIA02330.jpg|alt="Half moon" image of Mars|This image of Mars on September 7, 1999, is the only image acquired by the ''Orbiter''.
File:Mars Climate Orbiter - mishap diagram.png|alt=Comparative diagram of the two trajectories|Diagram comparing the intended and actual trajectories of the ''Orbiter''
</gallery>

''Mars Climate Orbiter'' began the planned orbital insertion maneuver on September 23, 1999, at 09:00:46 UTC.  ''Mars Climate Orbiter'' went out of radio contact when the spacecraft passed behind Mars at 09:04:52 UTC, 49 seconds earlier than expected, and communication was never reestablished.  Due to complications arising from [[human error]], the spacecraft encountered Mars at a lower-than-anticipated altitude and it was either destroyed in the atmosphere or re-entered heliocentric space after leaving Mars's atmosphere.{{r|MCO_report}} ''[[Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter]]'' has since completed most of the intended objectives for this mission.