Hypatia II crew members fix the base of the corner reflector. © Hypatia Mars.

A corner reflector was installed at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah, USA, on February 2025. It was part of Hypatia Mars II analog mission, which took place from 2-15 February.

Located at 7.8 km and 5.7 km away respectively from Sentinel-3A & B ground tracks, the MDRS offers an interesting spot to conduct additional calibration activities for Sentinel-3, and possibly, other satellite missions carrying radar sensors such as altimeters. The corner is paired with a GNSS antenna that provides the exact position of the device.

Location of the corner reflector with respect to the ground tracks of Sentinel-3A (red) and Sentinel-3B (blue). © isardSAT

The corner reflector has been developed by isardSAT and funded by the European Space Agency - ESA, as an extension of the Sentinel-3 Land Altimetry Mission Performance Cluster Service  project. It has been installed and set up by Hypatia II crew, as part of the second mission of Hypatia Mars, a female-led organisation dedicated to advancing Martian research and outreach.

Crew of Hypatia II in the Mars Desert Research station premises. © Hypatia Mars