Jun 25, 2022 17:23:00

Active Mars probe Mars Express carries out software update for the first time in 19 years

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Mars Express , the first Mars probe from the European Space Agency (ESA), a European space development organization, is an active spacecraft that has been in operation for over 19 years since its launch in 2003. MARSIS , an advanced radar for exploring the underground and ionized delamination layers of Mars on board the Mars Express, has carried out a software update for the first time in 19 years.

ESA --Software upgrade for 19-year-old martian water-spotter
https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Operations/Software_upgrade_for_19-year-old_martian_water-spotter

The Mars Express spacecraft is finally getting a Windows 98 upgrade --The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/24/23181715/mars-express-marsis-windows-98-upgrade-esa

The MARSIS onboard the Mars Express is a radar that has used low-frequency radio waves bouncing off the surface of Mars to investigate the presence of water in the ground. MARSIS is equipped with a 130-foot antenna and can explore about 3 miles underground on Mars.

MARSIS is also famous for discovering traces of a 'lake made of liquid water' beneath Mars in 2018. However, it turns out that this 'lake made of liquid water' was ultimately clay .

Evidence of the existence of a 'lake made of liquid water' on Mars can be found-GIGAZINE

ESA has announced such a software update for MARSIS. Regarding the update, ESA said, 'The update will allow MARSIS to observe Mars and its first satellite, Phobos , in more detail.' 'Enhanced signal reception and onboard data processing, quality of data sent back to Earth. Will improve. '

'We faced many challenges to improve MARSIS performance,' said Carlo Nenna, Enginium 's software engineer who supports MARSIS software updates. The point is that the software development environment of MARSIS was designed based on Windows 98 more than 20 years ago. '

The operators of ESA and the Italian National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF), who actually operate MARSIS, have relied on the technique of 'storing large amounts of high-resolution data in MARSIS', which is the built-in memory. Seems to have a problem that it fills up quickly. However, with this software update, 'it will be possible to discard unnecessary data, increase the operating time of MARSIS by 5 times, and explore a much larger area,' said Andrea Chiketti, MARSIS Operations Manager at INAF. Explaining.

'The new software will allow us to explore Mars more quickly and extensively in high resolution, helping us investigate'whether there is a new source of water'on Mars, so this update is for Mars Express. It's like installing a new exploration device about 20 years after the launch of the MARSIS, 'he said with expectations for the MARSIS update.