The Mars Telecommunication Orbiter (MTO) is an infrastructure asset to increase science data return from Mars using an orbiting telecommunications and navigation relay satellite.
Because of the much shorter distances over which these relay links operate relative to the Earth-Mars distance, relay through an orbiter can greatly increase data return and reduce the mass, volume, power and energy storage requirements of landed or atmospheric probes. In addition, these same relay link radio signals can be used to provide Mars-relative navigation and position information for incoming spacecraft.
Point of Contact: Charles Edwards
