▁while ▁occ l ud ed ▁from ▁the ▁Sun , ▁two ▁ 4 2   A · h ▁nick el - c ad m ium ▁batter ies ▁were ▁included ; ▁the ▁batter ies ▁would ▁re charge ▁as ▁the ▁solar ▁array ▁received ▁sun light . ▁ ▁Computer ▁The ▁computing ▁system ▁on ▁the ▁space craft ▁was ▁a ▁re tool ing ▁of ▁the ▁system ▁used ▁on ▁the ▁T I RO S ▁and ▁D MS P ▁sat ell ites . ▁The ▁sem ia ut onom ous ▁system ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁store ▁up ▁to ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁commands ▁in ▁the ▁included ▁ 6 4 ▁kil oby tes ▁of ▁random - access ▁memory , ▁and ▁execute ▁them ▁at ▁a ▁maximum ▁rate ▁of ▁ 1 2 . 5 ▁commands / second ; ▁commands ▁could ▁also ▁provide ▁sufficient ▁autonom ous ▁operation ▁of ▁the ▁space craft ▁for ▁up ▁to ▁si xty ▁days . ▁To ▁record ▁data , ▁redundant ▁digital ▁t ape ▁record ers ▁( D TR ) ▁were ▁included ▁and ▁each ▁capable ▁of ▁storing ▁up ▁to ▁ 1 8 7 . 5 ▁meg aby tes , ▁for ▁later ▁play back ▁to ▁the ▁Deep ▁Space ▁Network . ▁ ▁Scient ific ▁instruments ▁ ▁Mission ▁profile ▁ ▁La unch ▁and ▁traject ory ▁Mars ▁Ob server ▁was ▁launched ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁at ▁ 1 7 : 0 5 : 0 1 ▁UTC ▁by ▁the ▁National ▁Aer onaut ics ▁and ▁Space ▁Administration ▁from ▁Space ▁La unch ▁Complex ▁ 4 0 ▁at ▁the ▁Cape ▁C ana ver al