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Mars Polar Lander

Delta 7425-9.5

United States Air Force

Launch Status
Success

Mission

Mars Polar Lander

Type: Robotic Exploration

The Mars Polar Lander, also known as the Mars Surveyor ’98 Lander, was a 290-kilogram robotic spacecraft lander launched by NASA on January 3, 1999 to study the soil and climate of Planum Australe, a region near the south pole on Mars. It formed part of the Mars Surveyor ’98 mission. On December 3, 1999, however, after the descent phase was expected to be complete, the lander failed to reestablish communication with Earth. A post-mortem analysis determined the most likely cause of the mishap was premature termination of the engine firing prior to the lander touching the surface, causing it to strike the planet at a high velocity.

Trajectory

The trajectory is unavailable. Check back for updates.

Location

Space Launch Complex 17B

Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

920 rockets have launched from Cape Canaveral, FL, USA.

Space Launch Complex 17B, Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

Agency

United States Air Force – USAF

  • Type: Government
  • Abbreviation: USAF
  • Administration: Commander-in-Chief: President of the US
  • Founded: 1947
  • Country: USA

The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal Corps, the USAF was established as a separate branch of the United States Armed Forces in 1947 with the enactment of the National Security Act of 1947.

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