These images show how Arizona's Verde Valley would appear to each instrument. Similar images of Earth give us a lot of information about water and minerals underground. The Odyssey imaging system will also take pictures in visible light. Like a long-distance shovel digging into the surface, Odyssey's GRS will let scientists peer into the upper few centimeters of Mars's crust to measure many elements, including the amount of hydrogen that exists. Because hydrogen is most likely present in the form of water-ice, the spectrometer will be able to measure permanent ground ice and show how it changes with the seasons.
Space radiation is an extreme hazard to crews of interplanetary missions.
Despite the wealth of information from previous missions, we don't yet know exactly what Mars is made of. This mission will give us an understanding about the chemistry and minerals of the surface. The experiment will gather data both during the trip to Mars and while in orbit there. After completing its primary mission, the Odyssey orbiter will continue circling the planet, providing a communications relay for future American and international landers. NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers are scheduled for launch and Mars visits in 2003 and 2004.