HiRISE
| Alternative names | High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment |
|---|---|
| First light | March 10, 2006 |
| Diameter | 0.5 m |
| Length | 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in) |
| Mass | 64.2 kg (142 lb) |
| Focal length | 12 m (39 ft 4 in) |
| Website | hirise |
| Related media on Commons | |
High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is a camera on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter which has been orbiting and studying Mars since 2006. The 65 kg (143 lb), US$40 million instrument was built under the direction of the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. It consists of a 0.5 m (19.7 in) aperture reflecting telescope, the largest so far of any deep space mission, which allows it to take pictures of Mars with resolutions of 0.3 m/pixel (1 ft/pixel), resolving objects below a meter across.
HiRISE has imaged Mars exploration rovers on the surface, including the Opportunity rover and the ongoing Curiosity mission.