Mars Polar Lander
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.
Artist's depiction of the Mars Polar Lander on Mars | |
| Names | Mars Surveyor '98 |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Lander |
| Operator | NASA / JPL |
| COSPAR ID | 1999-001A |
| SATCAT no. | 25605 |
| Website | Mars Polar Lander website |
| Mission duration | 334 days Mission failure |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Martin Marietta |
| Launch mass | 583 kg |
| Power | 200 W solar array and NiH2 battery |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 20:21:10, January 3, 1999 (UTC) |
| Rocket | Delta II 7425-9.5 |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral AFS SLC-17A |
| End of mission | |
| Disposal | communication failure after landing |
| Declared | January 17, 2000 |
| Last contact | 20:00, December 3, 1999 (UTC) |
| Mars lander | |
| Landing date | ~20:15 UTC ERT, December 3, 1999 |
| Landing site | Ultimi Scopuli, 76°S 195°W (projected) |
Mars Surveyor 98 mission logo | |
The total cost of the Mars Polar Lander was US$165 million. Spacecraft development cost US$110 million, launch was estimated at US$45 million, and mission operations at US$10 million.