3D model of Phobos dressed with real images

This animation shows the 3D (shape) model of Mars’ moon Phobos, built thanks to the data collected by Mars Express’ High Resolution Stereo Camera (53 images obtained by the Super Resolution Channel, or SRC) and NASA’s Viking (16 images). The model is dressed with a mosaic of the same images. The SRC coverage is about 70% of the moon’s surface. The mean resolution is 12 m/pixel.

During Mars Express’ fly-bys of Phobos, the MaRS radio science experiment on Mars Express detected the gravitational influence of the moon on the trajectory of the spacecraft, so allowing the determination of the moon’s mass with unprecedented accuracy (1.072 1016 kg, or about one billionth the mass of the Earth). The 3D model of the body built thanks to HRSC data, combined with the mass measurement, is key to calculate the mean density of Phobos. In turn, this can tell scientists a lot about the moon’s composition (how much rock or ice may be present, and how porous the structure may be), helping to close in on Phobos’ origin.