Part 2/8:
Beginning in the 1990s, NASA aimed to gather better data regarding Mars’ geology and seasonal variations to aid in selecting future landing sites. This led to the launch of the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) in 1996. The MGS was a groundbreaking mission designed to photograph the Martian surface in high resolution from a polar orbit. The strategic nature of its polar orbit allowed for continuous coverage of the planet, creating a rich mosaic of images that provided invaluable information about Mars’ landscape. The high-resolution imagery has since become a cornerstone for photo reconnaissance of future missions.