Mars Pathfinder

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Mars Pathfinder

• Jodi Tanji

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Mars Pathfinder Project Information

• Launch Date December 4 1996 0658
• Arrival Date July 4 1997 1657
• Launch Vehicle Delta II
• Mass 264 kg (lander), 10.5 kg (rover)
• Power System Solar panels

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• The Mars Pathfinder was the second of NASA's
  low-cost planetary Discovery missions to be
  launched.
• The mission consists of a stationary lander and a
  surface rover.
• The mission had the primary objective of
  demonstrating the feasibility of low-cost
  landings on and exploration of the Martian
  surface.

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Rover

• The rover is a mobile explorer that is shaped
  kind of like a skateboard only a bit taller and
  with six wheels.
• The rover navigates using laser striping for
  detecting obstacles. For mobility, the rover has
  a six-wheel, rocker bogie suspension.
• It is powered by 0.25 square meters solar panels
  which produce a peak power of 16-Watt hours.

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• Mars Pathfinder impacted the surface on July 4 at
  1657 (1257 PM EDT) at a velocity of about 18
  m/s (40 mph) -approximately 12.5 m/s vertical and
  12.5 m/s horizontal - and bounced about 15 meters
  (50 feet) into the air, bouncing another 15 times
  and rolling before coming to rest approximately
  2.5 minutes after impact and about 1 km from the
  initial impact site.

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Pathfinder Photos