All three NASA orbiters around Mars confirmed their healthy status Sunday after each took shelter behind Mars during a period of risk from dust released by a passing comet.

Mars Odyssey, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) orbiter all are part of a campaign to study comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring and possible effects on the Martian atmosphere from gases and dust released by the comet. The comet sped past Mars today much closer than any other know comet flyby of a planet.

Additional information about the precautions and observations by each of the three orbiters is at http://www.nasa.gov/content/nasas-mars-odyssey-orbiter-watches-comet-fly-near/, http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/mro/nasas-mars-reconnaissance-orbiter-studies-comet-flyby/ and http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/maven/nasas-maven-studies-passing-comet-and-its-effects/ for Odyssey, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and MAVEN, respectively.

For more information about comet Siding Spring and the investigations of its Mars flyby, visit: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/comets/sidingspring/

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