Cheers as spacecraft orbits Mars

A Nasa spacecraft successfully slipped into orbit around Mars, joining a trio of orbiters already circling the Red Planet after a critical firing of its engA Nasa spacecraft successfully slipped into orbit around Mars, joining a trio of orbiters already circling the Red Planet after a critical firing of its engines.

Scientists cheered when the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter emerged from the planet’s shadow last night and signalled to Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) that the manoeuvre was a success.