News Planetary Science

Mars Polar Lander: Lost but now found?

By Ron Cowen

- More than 2 years ago

Minutes before the Mars Polar Lander was expected to touch down on the Red Planet on Dec. 3, 1999, NASA lost contact with the spacecraft (SN: 3/4/00, p. 159: Available to subscribers at No signal from Mars Polar Lander).

REMAINS TO BE SEEN. Images show sites of possible wreckage of the Mars Polar Lander (bottom) and its discarded parachute (top), lost in 1999.