MOC to Search for Clues
Flight controllers have been unable to contact the Mars Polar Lander.
On Saturday, the Deep Space Network and Stanford University attempted to detect a signal from the lander but were not successful. Controllers will continue trying to regain contact with the lander, but at this point it seems unlikely. It is more probable that
there was a catastophic failure of the spacecraft during its entry, descent,
or landing. The cause may never be known, but high-resolution images from
the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) aboard the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft may
yield clues. These images will be
taken during the next few weeks.
Meanwhile, the science team at UCLA
is beginning the difficult task of saying goodbye and disassembling the
Mars Science Operations Center. We all hope that the unique scientific
questions of this mission will be addressed in the future.
Thanks to our Wonderful SponsorsYou've made our web site and operations facility the best in the solar system!
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New Landing Site Image! - A new 3-D view of the preliminary location of the Mars Polar Lander.
News Timeline - Daily schedule of media events, including press conferences and news briefings.
www.spacewatch.com - See interviews with MVACS team members and live video segments from Mission Control at UCLA!
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WELCOME! - A welcome to our site from MVACS PI David Paige.
The Landing Site - Learn about the region where the lander will touch down!
Mission Timeline - The story of the lander, from the beginning to completion.
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