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Daily Mission Status

  • 10:30 p.m. (PST)
    The Mars Polar Lander reached the south polar region of Mars at 12:14 PM Pacific Standard Time today, December 3, 1999. If the touchdown was successful, the spacecraft deployed its solar panels and carried out other activities to secure itself and prepare for later operations. Mission controllers on Earth failed to detect a signal at the appointed downlink time, however, and were not able contact the spacecraft during subsequent attempts. Schedule of Events

    Sol Mars
    Local
    Time
    (HH:MM:SS)
    Year Day
    of
    Year
    PST and
    PST Earth
    Received
    (HH:MM:SS)
    GMT and
    GMT Earth
    Received
    (HH:MM:SS)
    Duration
    (HH:MM:SS)
    Description Activity
    Code
    000 04:20:00 1999 337 12:01:00
    12:15:06
    20:01:00
    20:15:06
    "SSI acquires images from undeployed position."
    000 04:28:00 1999 337 12:08:00
    12:22:06
    20:08:00
    20:22:06
    "MET temperatures, pressures before mast is deployed
    000 04:33:00 1999 337 12:13:00
    12:27:06
    20:13:00
    20:27:06
    "Deploy SSI and MET."
    000 04:36:00 1999 337 12:18:00
    12:32:06
    20:18:00
    20:32:06
    "SSI acquires two images of lander."
    000 04:38:00 1999 337 12:20:00
    12:34:06
    20:20:00
    20:34:06
    "SSI Images horizon at one elevation, 360 deg. around
    000 04:38:00 1999 337 12:23:00
    12:37:06
    20:23:00
    20:37:06
    "DTEO, duration = 45 min. plus lockup."
    000 10:25:00 1999 337 18:17:00
    18:31:06
    02:17:00
    02:31:06
    "MET temperatures, pressure, wind velocity, and water vapor
    000 10:56:00 1999 337 18:48:00
    19:02:06
    02:48:00
    03:02:06
    "SSI shutters 6 enginnering images."
    000 11:03:00 1999 337 18:55:00
    19:09:06
    02:55:00
    03:09:06
    "Robotic Arm unstow (wrist and elbow)."
    Sol Mars
    Local
    Time
    (HH:MM:SS)
    Year Day
    of
    Year
    PST and
    PST Earth
    Received
    (HH:MM:SS)
    GMT and
    GMT Earth
    Received
    (HH:MM:SS)
    Duration
    (HH:MM:SS)
    Description Activity
    Code
    000 11:16:00 1999 337 19:09:00
    19:23:06
    03:09:00
    03:23:06
    "SSI stereo swath of workspace (2x3 mosaic)."
    000 11:22:00 1999 337 19:15:00
    19:29:06
    03:15:00
    03:29:06
    "RAC images scoop."
    000 11:25:00 1999 337 19:18:00
    19:32:06
    03:18:00
    03:32:06
    "LIDAR active sounding of atmospheric aerosols."
    000 11:26:00 1999 337 19:19:00
    19:33:06
    03:19:00
    03:33:06
    "MET temperatures, pressure, and wind velocity."
    000 11:30:00 1999 337 19:23:00
    19:37:06
    03:23:00
    03:37:06
    "SSI compass point elevation scans."
    000 11:51:00 1999 337 9:45:00
    09:59:06
    17:45:00
    17:59:06
    "SSI horizon pan - same as earlier but all images should be
    000 11:52:00 1999 337 19:46:00
    20:00:06
    03:46:00
    04:00:06
    "Microphone on."
    000 12:44:00 1999 337 20:39:00
    20:53:06
    04:39:00
    04:53:06
    "MET temperatures, pressure, and wind velocity."
    000 13:31:00 1999 337 21:28:00
    21:42:06
    05:28:00
    05:42:06
    "LIDAR active sounding of atmospheric aerosols."
    000 13:44:00 1999 337 21:41:00
    21:55:06
    05:41:00
    05:55:06
    "MET temperatures, pressure, and wind velocity."