NASA's Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) has returned images of Martian features from its extended mission phase that started in February. The images include dust storms, dust devils, three-dimensional sand dunes and a new image of the "Mars face", which was first pictured 25 years ago by NASA's Viking 1 spacecraft. While looking for landing sites the Viking 1 returned images of a shadowy likeness of a human face, believed to be a mesa, located in the Cydonia region of the planet. The latest high resolution image taken by the MGS's Malin Space Systems camera confirms that the feature is a natural landform. The image was taken at a sun angle which reduced any resemblance to a face, while the 1976 image was caused by low sun angles. Meanwhile, the course of NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft was adjusted for the first time during an 82s mid-course manoeuvre 14 million km (8.7 million miles) from Earth on 23 May. It is the first of five planned moves for the spacecraft, which is due to reach Mars on 24 October after a 460 million km journey.
Source: Flight International