The Mars Telecommunications Orbiter mission was cancelled. A new mission to send up MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) is currently set to reach Mars on September 22, 2014. It will include an Electra (Electra Proximity Payload) telecommunications relay which will act for communications and navigational aid for spacecrafts on Mars.

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Image Courtesy NASA/Goddard

MAVEN Info:

• Factsheet
• Specifications and Mission Overview
• News
• Mission Website