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This American mission to explore Mars used a lander spacecraft and a rover to collect over 17000 images. In this mission, chemical analyses indicated that Mars was once warm and wet, suggesting that life may have been possible.
The Mars Pathfinder was a lander spacecraft with a rover called Sojourner. They entered the atmosphere of Mars to gather data such as c hemical analyses of rocks and soil. They also obtained data on winds and other weather factors.
The Mars Pathfinder took atmospheric measurements as it landed onto Mars. It used a parachute, rockets, and airbags for a smooth landing , and released Sojourner. This rover could be remotely controlled, but its camera-assisted autonomous control system allowed it to sidestep rocky areas on its own. The landing site contained several types of rocks for studying. It was a flood plain, now called "Ares Vallis," and is one of the rockiest parts of Mars.
The Mars Pathfinder recorded approximately 16,500 images through the lander spacecraft and approximately 550 images through the rover. Data collected by the Mars Pathfinder through scientific instruments indicated that Mars was once warm and wet, perhaps with water. Studies also revealed that the atmosphere was previously thicker.
(Mars Rover) |
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