MAVEN’s Earth-centered velocity is 3.27 km/second (2.03 mi/s or 7,308 mph), whereas its Sun-centered velocity is 33.15 km/s (20.6 mi/s or 74,203 mph).
The spacecraft has travelled ~100,000,000 km (62,000,000 miles) on its heliocentric transfer path to Mars. The current distance from Mars is ~205,000,000 km (127,000,000 miles).
The figure shown here is a representation of MAVEN’s “Type-II” trajectory, which will carry the spacecraft more than 180 degrees around the Sun in its interplanetary Hohmann transfer orbit. For more information about MAVEN’s science orbit after arrival at Mars, please see: https://lasp.colorado.edu/maven/science/science-orbit/
MAVEN remains on schedule for Mars Orbit Insertion on September 21, 2014.
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