The European Space Agency's (ESA) Mars Express orbiter has completed its 25,000th orbit around Mars, capturing a breathtaking high-altitude view of the planet to commemorate the achievement.
Since its arrival in late 2003, Mars Express has changed our understanding of Mars, offering unprecedented insights into its atmosphere, surface, and moons.
The latest image, taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC), showcases the Tharsis region, a quarter of Mars's surface known for its massive volcanoes. Among these geological giants is Olympus Mons, the tallest volcano in the solar system, standing nearly 22 km high—more than twice the height of Earth's Mount Everest.
This new view also captures the unexpected appearance of Phobos, Mars's largest moon, as it orbits closely to the planet's surface.
Over the past two decades, Mars Express has conducted extensive research, mapping the planet's minerals, exploring its atmosphere, and probing beneath its crust. Its findings have significantly contributed to our knowledge of Mars, revealing evidence of water, volcanic activity, and the planet's climatic evolution.
