Mars Odyssey: The facts

Posted by jburk to Mars Odyssey at October 23, 2001 12:00 PM

A space craft is nearing Mars where it will attempt to orbit the Red Planet. BBC News Online science editor Dr David Whitehouse explains the purpose of the mission. Why is it called 2001 Mars Odyssey? It was inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey, the movie written by Arthur C Clarke and Stanley Kubrick, a movie that had nothing to do with Mars!