QUESTION:
How many times will the MGS orbit Mars during the two year orbit?
 
ANSWER from Charles Whetsel on February 24, 1997:
The orbital period of MGS around Mars is approximately 2 hours, or 12
orbits per earth day.  Since we will orbit Mars for 687 days (1 Martian
Year), we expect to complete 687 x 12 = 8,244 orbits during our mission.
This does not include the 150-200 orbits at the beginning of the mission
when we are adjusting our orbit (by aerobraking) to get the spacecraft into
the best orbit for taking our scientific observations.

Charles Whetsel
Project Engineer
Mars Surveyor Operations