JPL
Careers
Education
Science & Technology
JPL Logo
JPL Logo
Image

First Image from MarCO-B

May 15, 2018
Context Image
Annotated image for PIA22323
The is the first image captured by one of NASA's Mars Cube One (MarCO) CubeSats showing both the CubeSat's unfolded high-gain antenna at right and the Earth and its moon in the center, acquired by MarCO-B on May 9, 2018.
Context Image
Annotated image for PIA22323

The first image captured by one of NASA's Mars Cube One (MarCO) CubeSats. The image, which shows both the CubeSat's unfolded high-gain antenna at right and the Earth and its moon in the center, was acquired by MarCO-B on May 9.

MarCO is a pair of small spacecraft accompanying NASA's InSight (Interior Investigations Using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) lander. Together, MarCO-A and MarCO-B are the first CubeSats ever sent to deep space. InSight is the first mission to ever explore Mars' deep interior.

If the MarCO CubeSats make the entire journey to Mars, they will attempt to relay data about InSight back to Earth as the lander enters the Martian atmosphere and lands. MarCO will not collect any science, but are intended purely as a technology demonstration. They could serve as a pathfinder for future CubeSat missions.

The MarCO and InSight projects are managed for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena.

Download JPG
Download TIFF
Mission
Target
  • Earth
Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech

Keep Exploring

MarCO-B (Wall-E) approaches Mars

Away from Mars, With Sunburst

Mars, Before InSight's Landing

Away from Mars, With Reflection

Farewell to Mars

Two Days Till Mars for MarCO

MarCO Relaying Data from InSight

First Image of Mars from a CubeSat

Mars Cube One in Detail

Preparing MarCO

Related Topic

News .

NASA Measures Underground Water Flowing From Sierra to Central Valley

Mission .

Surface Water and Ocean Topography

News .

NASA Scientists and Satellites Make Sense of Earth’s Subtle Motions

News .

NASA Space Missions Pinpoint Sources of CO2 Emissions on Earth

News .

Watch the Latest Water Satellite Unfold Itself in Space

News .

NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Sentinel-6B Mission

News .

NASA Launches International Mission to Survey Earth’s Water

News .

NASA Sensors to Help Detect Methane Emitted by Landfills

News .

Latest International Water Satellite Packs an Engineering Punch

News .

Water-Tracking SWOT Satellite Encapsulated in Rocket Payload Fairing

About JPL
Who We Are
Executive Council
Directors
Careers
Internships
The JPL Story
JPL Achievements
Documentary Series
Annual Reports
Missions
Current
Past
Future
All
News
All
Earth
Solar System
Stars and Galaxies
Subscribe to JPL News
Galleries
Images
Videos
Audio
Podcasts
Apps
Visions of the Future
Slice of History
Robotics at JPL
Events
Lecture Series
Team Competitions
Speakers Bureau
Calendar
Visit
Public Tours
Virtual Tour
Directions and Maps
Topics
JPL Life
Solar System
Mars
Earth
Climate Change
Exoplanets
Stars and Galaxies
Robotics
More
Asteroid Watch
NASA's Eyes Visualizations
Universe - Internal Newsletter
Social Media
Get the Latest from JPL
Follow Us

JPL is a federally funded research and development center managed for NASA by Caltech.

More from JPL
Careers Education Science & Technology Acquisitions JPL Store
Careers
Education
Science & Technology
Acquisitions
JPL Store
Related NASA Sites
Basics of Spaceflight
Climate Kids
Earth / Global Climate Change
Exoplanet Exploration
Mars Exploration
Solar System Exploration
Space Place
NASA's Eyes Visualization Project
Voyager Interstellar Mission
NASA
Caltech
Privacy
Image Policy
FAQ
Feedback
Site Managers: Veronica McGregor, Randal Jackson
Site Editors: Tony Greicius, Naomi Hartono
CL#: 21-0018