Progress Report on Mars Pathfinder Project Approach

Mars Pathfinder, launching on December 2, 1996 and landing on Mars on July 4, 1997, will demonstrate a low-cost delivery system to the surface of Mars. Historically, spacecraft that orbit or land on a distant body carry massive amounts of fuel for braking at the planet. Pathfinder requires fuel only to navigate to Mars; the spacecraft aerobrakes into the Mars atmosphere directly from Earth-Mars transfer trajectory, deploys a parachute at 10 km above the surface and, within 100 m of the surface, fires solid rockets for final braking prior to deployment of airbags that cushion touchdown. After landing, petals open to upright the lander, followed by deployment of a small rover and several science instruments.