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NASA's MRO Celebrates 100,000 Images of Mars!

12/24/2025

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Summary

Story summary

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) captured its 100,000th image of Mars on October 7.
The milestone image features Syrtis Major, a region with mesas, craters, and migrating dunes.
Since its 2006 launch, MRO has averaged 5,000 photos annually.
Leslie Tamppari, the MRO's deputy project scientist, notes the orbiter has revealed significant surface changes.
MRO also confirmed the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, though not designed for such observations.

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Story summary

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) captured its 100,000th image of Mars on October 7.
The milestone image features Syrtis Major, a region with mesas, craters, and migrating dunes.
Since its 2006 launch, MRO has averaged 5,000 photos annually.
Leslie Tamppari, the MRO's deputy project scientist, notes the orbiter has revealed significant surface changes.
MRO also confirmed the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, though not designed for such observations.