Tag Archives: Mars Pathfinder

Did Mars Pathfinder explore edge of northern ocean?

NASA’s first rover mission to Mars, the Pathfinder, imaged an extraterrestrial marine spillover landscape 22 years ago, according to a new paper by Planetary Science Institute Senior Scientist Alexis Rodriguez. The landing site is on the spillway of an ancient … Continue reading

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

No one under 20 has lived a day without NASA at Mars

As the Mars Pathfinder spacecraft approached its destination on July 4, 1997, no NASA mission had successfully reached the Red Planet in more than 20 years. Even the mission team anxiously awaiting confirmation that the spacecraft survived its innovative, bouncy … Continue reading

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , | Comments Off

Revisit Mars Pathfinder and Rover in 360°

You can explore the landing site of NASA’s Pathfinder mission with your mouse or mobile device. This 360-degree view uses images taken in 1997 displayed using present-day technology. It includes the lander’s companion rover, Sojourner – the first rover on … Continue reading

Posted in Reports | Tagged , | Comments Off

HiRISE: Plateau in Ares Vallis

This channelized area is near the source region of the huge outflow channel, Ares Vallis. It was at the distal end or “long-ways down-river-area” where the Pathfinder/Sojourner mission landed on 4 July 1997. This tiny region of Ares Vallis is … Continue reading

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Well-rounded pebbles in Gale Crater’s rocks point to longtime stream flow

Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity landed in Gale Crater at a feature called Bradbury Rise, which lies near the far end of the Peace Vallis alluvial fan. The fan is a broad, flat deposit of sand, gravel, and pebbles washed … Continue reading

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Can melting snow make small holes in Mars rocks?

Many rocks on the surface of Mars show pits and small holes. One way such pits can form is when gas-rich lava erupts; the pits, called “vesicles,” form when gas escapes from the lava as it’s cooling. Wind-driven sand can … Continue reading

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off