NASA's Orbiter nears Mars rendezvous

PASADENA, Calif., Feb. 27 (UPI) -- NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is preparing to slow itself to allow the red planet's gravity to grab it into orbit March 10.

"Once the spacecraft has successfully been placed in position, this mission will greatly expand our scientific understanding of Mars, pave the way for future robotic missions later in this decade, and help us prepare for sending humans to Mars," said NASA's Director of the Mars Exploration Program Doug McCuistion.

Designed to examine the planet in unprecedented detail, the orbiter will return more data than all previous Mars missions combined. It carries six instruments, including the most powerful telescopic camera ever sent to another planet and a weather camera that will monitor the entire planet daily.

During its planned five-year prime mission, the orbiter will support the Phoenix Mars Scout being built to land on icy soils near the northern polar ice cap in 2008, and the Mars Science Laboratory, an advanced rover under development for launch in 2009.