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Mars Express acquires sharpest images of martian moon Phobos

30 July 2008

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On 23 July 2008, the High Resolution Stereo Camera on board the ESA’s Mars Express took the highest-resolution full-disc image yet of the surface of the moon Phobos.

The image data was acquired from a distance of 97 km with a spatial resolution of about 3.7 m/pixel in orbit 5851. These images have surpassed all previous images from other missions in continuous coverage of the illuminated surface at the highest spatial resolution of 3.7 m/pixel.

This image has been geometrically corrected and exhibits the original illumination and photometric conditions.

Credits: ESA/ DLR/ FU Berlin (G. Neukum)

The best full-disc images of Phobos ever

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Phobos in 3-D (red-cyan anaglyph).

On 23 July 2008, the High Resolution Stereo Camera on board ESA’s Mars Express took the highest-resolution full-disc image yet of the surface of the moon Phobos.

The image data was acquired from a distance of 97 km with a spatial resolution of about 3.7 m/pixel. These images have surpassed all previous images from other missions in continuous coverage of the illuminated surface at the highest spatial resolution of 3.7 m/pixel.

Credits: ESA/ DLR/ FU Berlin (G. Neukum)

Scientific bounty

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HRSC Stereo Channel 1 image of Phobos with a resolution of 3.7 m/pixel at its best. The inset to the right shows the potential landing region and sites for the Russia’s Phobos-Grunt sample return mission, due for launch in 2009.

Credits: ESA/ DLR/ FU Berlin (G. Neukum)

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On 23 July 2008, the High Resolution Stereo Camera on board the ESA’s Mars Express took the highest-resolution full-disc image yet of the surface of the moon Phobos.

The image data was acquired from a distance of 97 km with a spatial resolution of about 3.7 m/pixel in orbit 5851. These images have surpassed all previous images from other missions in continuous coverage of the illuminated surface at the highest spatial resolution of 3.7 m/pixel.

This image is photometrically enhanced to bring out the features in the less illuminated part.

Credits: ESA/ DLR/ FU Berlin (G. Neukum)

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HRSC Super-resolution channel (SRC) image taken on 22 July 2008 from a distance of 4500 km, showing the illuminated edge of the potential landing site of the Russian Phobos-Grunt mission.

Credits: ESA/ DLR/ FU Berlin (G. Neukum)

An operational challenge

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Geometry of the Phobos fly-by. Phobos and Mars Express are not to scale.

Credits: ESA/ DLR/ FU Berlin (G. Neukum)

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Phobos fly-by orbital characteristics animation. NASA’s Mars Odyssey (MO) and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) are in a low orbit around Mars.

In observing Phobos, Mars Express benefits from its highly elliptical orbit which takes it from a closest distance of 270 km from the planet to a maximum of 10 000 km, crossing the 9000 km orbit of the moon. Mars Express imaged the far-side of Phobos (with respect to Mars) for the first time by flying outside the spacecraft’s orbit around Mars.

Credits: ESA/ DLR/ FU Berlin (G. Neukum)

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