NASA Mars Picture of the Day: Melas Sedimentary Rocks

Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-832, 28 August 2004

NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

Light-toned, layered, sedimentary rock outcrops are common
within the vast martian Valles Marineris trough system.
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
image shows a recent example from southern Melas Chasma
at 1.5 m/pixel (5 ft/pixel) resolution. The image is located
near 11.3°S, 73.9°W, and
covers an area about 1.8 km (1.1 mi) across.
Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left.

Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of Technology
built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission.
MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, California.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Mars Surveyor Operations Project
operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial
partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena,
California and Denver, Colorado.