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Exploring Mars
It is thanks to the longevity of missions like Mars Express, which arrived in orbit around the Red Planet in 2003, that seasonal changes can be observed over many years and once-cryptic features can be better understood.
As well as studying the ice caps of the planet the HRSC has shown us the full range of Mars’ geological features, from wind-sculpted ridges and grooves to sinkholes on the flanks of colossal volcanoes to impact craters, tectonic faults, river channels and ancient lava pools.
With its suite of eight instruments Mars Express also maps the planet’s minerals, explores the composition and circulation of its atmosphere, probes beneath its crust, and studies the martian environment.
The mission has been immensely productive over its lifetime, creating a far fuller and more accurate understanding of our planetary neighbour than ever before.
The Mars Express High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) was developed and is operated by the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR).