Editing Mars Climate Orbiter (section)

=== Encounter with Mars ===
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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''
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''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.