▁the ▁Mart ian ▁magnetic ▁field . ▁Det erm ine ▁the ▁temporal ▁and ▁spatial ▁distribution , ▁abund ance , ▁sources , ▁and ▁s inks ▁of ▁vol at iles ▁and ▁dust ▁over ▁a ▁season al ▁cycle . ▁Ex pl ore ▁the ▁structure ▁and ▁circul ation ▁of ▁the ▁atmosphere . ▁ ▁The ▁program ' s ▁total ▁cost ▁is ▁estimated ▁at ▁$ 8 1 3 ▁million . ▁ ▁Space craft ▁design ▁ ▁The ▁Mars ▁Ob server ▁space craft ▁had ▁a ▁mass ▁of ▁. ▁Its ▁bus ▁measured ▁ 1 . 1 ▁meters ▁tall , ▁ 2 . 2 ▁meters ▁wide , ▁and ▁ 1 . 6 ▁meters ▁deep . ▁The ▁space craft ▁was ▁based ▁on ▁previous ▁satellite ▁designs , ▁originally ▁intended ▁and ▁developed ▁to ▁orbit ▁Earth . ▁The ▁R CA ▁AS - 4 0 0 0 ▁Ku - band ▁satellite ▁design ▁was ▁used ▁extens ively ▁for ▁the ▁space craft ▁bus , ▁prop ulsion , ▁thermal ▁protection , ▁and ▁solar ▁array . ▁R CA ▁T I RO S ▁and ▁D MS P ▁Block ▁ 5 0 - 2 ▁satellite ▁designs ▁were ▁also ▁util ized ▁in ▁the ▁implementing ▁the ▁Att itude ▁and ▁Art ic ulation ▁Control ▁System ▁( A AC S ), ▁command ▁and ▁data ▁handling ▁sub system , ▁and ▁power ▁sub system , ▁into ▁Mars ▁Ob server . ▁Other ▁elements ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁b ip rop ell ant ▁components ▁and ▁high - g ain ▁anten na ▁were ▁designed ▁specifically ▁for ▁the ▁mission . ▁ ▁Att itude ▁control ▁and ▁prop ulsion ▁The ▁space craft ▁was ▁three - axis ▁stabil ized