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Mars Global Surveyor Update - October 24, 1997


Mars Global Surveyor
Flight Status Report 
Friday, 24 October 1997

     After 43 days in orbit around the red planet, science data 
collection from Mars Global Surveyor's instruments is occurring on a 
continuous basis, and all systems are performing as expected. The 
temporary hiatus in aerobraking has yielded unique opportunities for the 
spacecraft to point its science instruments directly at the surface of 
Mars at the orbit's low point, instead of configuring to fly through the 
atmosphere. Some of the exciting data collected over the previous two 
weeks include laser topography measurements in the northern highlands 
near the massive volcano Olympus Mons, and color photographs of the 
gigantic canyon Valles Marineris.

     Currently, the flight team is spending the majority of its time 
analyzing data that will explain why one of Surveyor's solar panels 
deflected past its fully latched position during an atmospheric pass two 
weeks ago. Data sources include information transmitted by Surveyor's 
internal health and engineering sensors, theoretical models and computer 
simulations, and tests of solar panel replicas in the laboratory. 

     All of this information will allow the joint NASA Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory and Lockheed Martin Astronautics team to determine the safest 
method to resume aerobraking. In addition, members of the flight team are 
studying mission options to collect scientific data from a wide variety 
of final orbits. A decision regarding the direction in which to proceed 
is expected in the next few weeks.

     After a mission elapsed time of 351 days from launch, Surveyor is 
176.08 million miles (283.38 million kilometers) from the Earth and in an 
orbit around Mars with a high point of  28,046 miles (45,135 km), a low 
point of 107 miles (173 km), and a period of 35.4 hours. The spacecraft 
is currently executing the P26 command sequence, and all systems continue 
to perform as expected.

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Status report prepared by:
 
Office of the Flight Operations Manager
Mars Surveyor Operations Project
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA 91109
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