August 12, 2005 -
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter was launched from Cape Canaveral, designed to study the geography and climate of Mars, provide reconnaissance of future landing sites, and relay data from surface missions back to Earth. Its other objective was to search for signs of water, both past and present, and understand how it altered the planet's surface. The spacecraft continues to operate, far beyond its intended design life. Due to its critical role as a high-speed data relay for ground missions, NASA intends to continue the mission as long as possible.