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Magellan Orbit (Artist's Concept)

Aug. 10, 1990
An artist's concept of the Magellan spacecraft making a radar map of Venus. The spacecraft was commanded to plunge into Venus' atmosphere in 1994 as part of a final experiment to gather atmospheric data.

An artist's concept of the Magellan spacecraft making a radar map of Venus.

Magellan mapped 98 percent of Venus' surface at a resolution of 100 to 150 meters (about the length of a football or soccer field), using synthetic aperture radar, a technique that simulates the use of a much larger radar antenna. It found that 85 percent of the surface is covered with volcanic flows and showed evidence of tectonic movement, turbulent surface winds, lava channels and pancake-shaped domes. Magellan also produced high-resolution gravity data for 95 percent of the planet and tested a new maneuvering technique called aerobraking, using atmospheric drag to adjust its orbit.

The spacecraft was commanded to plunge into Venus' atmosphere in 1994 as part of a final experiment to gather atmospheric data.

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Mission
Spacecraft
  • Magellan
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NASA/JPL-Caltech

Keep Exploring

Surface Warmth on a Venus Volcano

Venus Hemispherical Globes (with place names)

Venus Hemispherical Globes

Magellan's Perspective View of Sedna Planitia, 45° N, 350° E

Looking Westward Across the Fortuna Tessera (Left Member of a Synthetic Stereo Pair)

Sedna Planitia (Right Member of a Synthetic Stereo Pair)

Nova Superposed on Yavine Corona

Sedna Planitia (Left Member of a Synthetic Stereo Pair)

Looking Westward Across the Fortuna Tessera (Right Member of a Synthetic Stereo Pair)

Magellan's View of Crater Markham, 0° N, 163° E

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