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Five Year Retrospective: Mars Pathfinder

Posted by michael on from the go-where-no-RC-car-has-gone-before dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Five years ago today, on September 27, 1997, NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory began to lose communication with the Mars Pathfinder and ended its highly successful mission. The interview with Matt Golombek, Project Scientist, highlights Mars' warm and wet past. The still remarkable landing sequence, with first signal only 3 minutes after touchdown, seemed a rare combination of luck (bounced 16 times and landed on its base petal). Not mentioned, it cost less than the making of even a medium-sized Hollywood movie." NASA is getting ready to publish their future plans for deep-space missions.

8 of 179 comments (clear)

  1. in the top 10 baby by Dtechno · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    has it been 20 seconds yet???

  2. FP by ][nTrUdEr · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    =0)

  3. Sad news ... Stephen King dead at 55 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic


    I just heard some sad news on talk radio - Horror/Sci Fi writer Stephen King was found dead in his Maine home this morning. There weren't any more details. I'm sure everyone in the Slashdot community will miss him - even if you didn't enjoy his work, there's no denying his contributions to popular culture. Truly an American icon.

    1. Re:Sad news ... Stephen King dead at 55 by inteller · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      yeah, he said the other day on the today show that he was going to retire....I guess he meant that pretty seriously.

  4. Re:OT - Lost comm with Pathfinder? by Kenja · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Val Kilmer had to use the modem to contact the mothership before the bugs ate him.

    --

    "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
  5. I just pooped in my pants by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    hot steaming diarrhea is trickling down my legs...damn it to hell why did i choose to wear tan pants with no underwear?...I guess my choice of extra spicy chili and tacos for dinner was not a good one...oh no the stench is overwealming....oh sweet Jesus the boss wants me in his office in 5 minutes...what am I going to do? I need some suggestions

  6. Re:OT - Lost comm with Pathfinder? by ishmalius · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    To keep costs down, it had only normal batteries.
    No solar panels.... What a shame!

  7. ESRI on Linux by geomon · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Since the story on ESRI was rejected, I am asking all Linux scientists who use GIS systems to follow this link to take a survey in support of Linux development.

    --
    "Rocky Rococo, at your cervix!"