The Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding ( MARSIS ) instrument on the European Space Agency ( ESA ) ’s Mars Express spacecraft is about to get a software update , removing its previous operating organisation of Windows 98 .
about two decades after the Mars Express found , the package update is expect to give raw life to the artificial satellite thatfirst observe waterhidden under the Martian south terminal . Though it ’s potential thatmay have just been a mirage , the satellite is one of the most successful projects from the ESA , and has allowed us to canvas Mars ’s past and present like never before . The software system acclivity is expected to appropriate the MARSIS instrument to see beneath the surface of Mars and one of its moons – Phobos – in unprecedented detail .
“ After decades of fruitful science and having gather a adept understanding of Mars , we wanted to push the instrument ’s performance beyond some of the limitation required back when the mission began , ” Andrea Cicchetti , MARSIS Deputy PI and Operation Manager at INAF , who led the development of the upgrade , said in a pressing release .
The satellite sends low - frequency radiocommunication waves down towards the ruby planet , and by studying the mull signal , scientists can map out the surface and structures below it up to a profundity of a few kilometers . The update is expected to improve signal reception as well as data processing on the artificial satellite .
“ Previously , to study the most important features on Mars , and to study its moon Phobos at all , we relied on a complex technique that stored a lot of mellow - solution data and filled up the instrument ’s on - board memory very chop-chop , ” Cicchetti continued .
“ By discarding data that we do n’t need , the new computer software allows us to switch MARSIS on for five time as long and research a much large area with each pass . ”
The orbiter will continue its mission , mapping the subsurface of Mars , and looking for signs of weewee .
“ The new software system will serve us more quickly and extensively meditate these part in high resolution and affirm whether they are home to new origin of water on Mars , " ESA Mars Express scientist Colin Wilsonadded .
" It really is like having a make novel instrument on panel Mars Express almost 20 years after launch . ”
