Folks, this is just a RUMOR... somebody in Lockheed tipped off the Denver Post (whose story was picked up by AP and around and around we go) NASA, JPL, and LockMart all say this is not true. The 'canyon' they're talking about is described by JPL as a 'trough', with a small slope less than 10 degrees, not some mile deep chasm. Mars Global Surveyor had images of it before the Polar Lander was to arrive. At first the JPL guys were nervous about it, but after calculating the slopes they said it was within limits.
Plus, this doesn't explain with BOTH deep space 2 microprobes also failed. More likely is some kind of atmospheric entry problem or else the cruise stage never separated.
Jim Burk The Mars Society
P.S. For a slashdot-like Mars news site (that I happen to maintain), check out MarsNews.com
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Plus, this doesn't explain with BOTH deep space 2 microprobes also failed. More likely is some kind of atmospheric entry problem or else the cruise stage never separated.
Jim Burk
The Mars Society
P.S. For a slashdot-like Mars news site (that I happen to maintain), check out MarsNews.com