Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

Mars Climate Orbiter Launches

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for December 24, 1998 is “Mars Climate Orbiter Launches,” an image. It is credited to Credit: Courtesy NASA. The original explanation runs about 122 words.

Mars Climate Orbiter Launches
Credit: Courtesy NASA Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“Looking down from atop a Delta II rocket blasting skyward , solid fuel boosters fall away (left) and the Earth’s limb slides into view. These pictures from the launch of the Mars Climate Orbiter were taken as it climbed away from Cape Canaveral Air Station Space Launch Complex 17 on December 11.”

— APOD editors, December 24, 1998

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
December 24, 1998
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: Courtesy NASA
Copyright
No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 122 words

All of December 1998 → · 1998 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

Topics in this entry

Mars

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: December 24 in other years

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Source

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.