The 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter successfully launched on April 7, 2001. It arrived at Mars on Oct. 24, 2001. After aerobraking for three months, Odyssey will study Mars for over one Martian year. The Orbiter carries three science instruments with three goals: to map chemical elements and minerals, to look for water, and to analyze the radiation environment. More specifically, the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) will map the mineralogy and morphology of the Martian surface. The Gamma Ray Spectrometer (GRS) will globally map the elemental composition of the surface and determine the abundance of hydrogen in the shallow subsurface. Finally, the Mars Radiation Environment Experiment (MARIE) will characterize aspects of the near-space radiation environment as related to possible risks to human explorers.

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