Mars Polar Lander crash site spotted
Posted: Fri, May 6, 2005, 8:20 AM ET (1220 GMT)
Scientists examining images of the surface of Mars said Thursday that they have spotted what they believe may be the crash site of NASA's Mars Polar Lander spacecraft. The lander was to touch down near the south polar regions of the planet in December 1999, but contact with the spacecraft was never established after the scheduled landing time, and the spacecraft was eventually declared lost; a later investigation concluded an engineering flaw caused the lander's descent engine to shut down prematurely. An earlier search for the spacecraft in images from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft turned up no conclusive evidence of the spacecraft, but scientists reexamined the images after later observations of the Mars Exploration Rover landing sites offered clues for how to spot the small spacecraft on the surface. Researchers now say that they have identified bright features that they believe are the lander's parachute as well as the lander itself. Followup observations, using a higher-resolution observing mode of the MGS camera, are planned for later this year.
Scientists examining images of the surface of Mars said Thursday that they have spotted what they believe may be the crash site of NASA's Mars Polar Lander spacecraft. The lander was to touch down near the south polar regions of the planet in December 1999, but contact with the spacecraft was never established after the scheduled landing time, and the spacecraft was eventually declared lost; a later investigation concluded an engineering flaw caused the lander's descent engine to shut down prematurely. An earlier search for the spacecraft in images from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft turned up no conclusive evidence of the spacecraft, but scientists reexamined the images after later observations of the Mars Exploration Rover landing sites offered clues for how to spot the small spacecraft on the surface. Researchers now say that they have identified bright features that they believe are the lander's parachute as well as the lander itself. Followup observations, using a higher-resolution observing mode of the MGS camera, are planned for later this year.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
NASA releases report on Starliner crewed test flight problems
Posted: Sun, Feb 22 11:45 AM ET (1645 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Sunday, February 22
Exolaunch Successfully Integrates Five Satellites with 'Spectrum' launch vehicle Ahead of Second Isar Aerospace Launch, A Landmark Mission for European and German Launch Sovereignty
Exolaunch — 5:51 pm ET (2251 GMT) Sateliot and PLD Space sign first commercial contract for a dedicated launch of two Tritó satellites with MIURA 5
PLD Space — 5:49 pm ET (2249 GMT) What cold-water geysers on Earth reveal about the habitability of ocean worlds
PSI — 5:48 pm ET (2248 GMT) AAC Clyde Space ships VIREON satellites for launch
AAC Clyde Space — 5:48 pm ET (2248 GMT) Crosshill Joins as Space ISAC Member
Space ISAC — 5:43 pm ET (2243 GMT) |
