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The Mars Pathfinder mission, designed to demonstrate a low-cost method for delivering a set of science instruments to the Red Planet, was the first wheeled vehicle to be used on any other planet in the solar system and served as the foundation for the Mars rovers of today.
The mission landed a rover -- Sojourner -- on the surface of Mars using an air bag landing system and innovative petal design, which have been used since in various incarnations to land other rovers on the Red Planet. Sojourner spent 83 days of a planned seven-day mission exploring the Martian terrain, snapping photographs and taking chemical, atmospheric and other measurements.
- Mars Pathfinder lander (Carl Sagan Memorial Station):
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Image for Mars Pathfinder (IMP)
- Atmospheric Structure Instrument/Meteorology Package (ASI/MET)
Sojourner rover:
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Alpha/Proton/X-ray Spectrometer (APXS)
- Rover imaging cameras
| Type: | Lander/Rover |
| Status: | Past |
| Launch Date: | December 04, 1996 1:58 a.m. EST (06:58 UTC) |
| Launch Location: | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida |
| Landing Date: | July 04, 1997 16:56 UTC |
| Mission End Date: | September 27, 1997 |
| Target: | Mars |
| Destination: | Ares Vallis, Mars |
| Current Location: | › Click to view
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