NASA Mars Picture of the Day: Olympica Fossae 11-04-2003

Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-534, 4 November 2003

NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
image shows a picturesque view of terrain in the Olympica
Fossae region of Mars. This valley system is known for
having a complex array of landforms thought to have
been carved by water, cut by faulting, and covered by
lava flows and windblown dust. The view shown here includes
a look at some of the layered bedrock exposed by the forces
that created the valley. The dark dots on the floors of the
valleys are large boulders that have rolled down the
slopes. Much of this scene has been mantled by fine, bright
dust; dark streaks on the slopes indicate places where some of
this dust has slid. This picture is located
near 24.5°N, 115.9°W. The image covers
an area 3 km (1.9 mi) across and is illuminated by
sunlight from the lower 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.