Mars Express status report for 12/24/2003, 1100 UTC (Forwarded)

ESA News
http://www.esa.int

24 December 2003

Mars Express status report ...

At 12:00 CET today [1100 UTC], the Mars Express orbiter was 169,000 kilometres
from Mars and 156 167 000 kilometres from Earth.

The orbiter is now in the final configuration for Mars Orbit Insertion. No more
commands are being sent to the spacecraft until after its capture by Mars.

Both the Mars Express orbiter and the Beagle 2 lander have a velocity relative
to Mars of 2.8 kilometres per second, increasing under the influence of Martian
gravity.

At 12:00 CET, the two spacecraft were 2300 kilometres apart, and diverging at a
rate of 6.5 metres per second.

More about ...

* Europe goes to Mars
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/index.html
* Mars Express overview
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/120379_index_0_m.html
* Christmas on Mars: be there with ESA
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM06Q274OD_index_0.html
* Getting it right: An interview with Rudi Schmidt
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMDILXLDMD_people_0_iv.html
* Testing times: An interview with Con McCarthy
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMZTOXLDMD_people_0_iv.html
* A giant step for Europe: An interview with Michael McKay
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMZSOXLDMD_people_0_iv.html

Related links

* Beagle 2 lander homepage
http://www.beagle2.com

IMAGE CAPTION:
[http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/SEM6..._index_1.html]
Mars Express is checking its attitude and distance from Mars.