Probes and Rovers

Your questions answered!  Read some quick facts about Mars rovers below.

Q: What powers NASA probes and rovers?

A: Rovers and probes use the lithium batteries similar to what we use for laptop computers and digital cameras.

Q: What was the first successful fly-by mission to Mars?

A: The Mariner 4 was the first successful mission to photograph Mars.

Q: What rover accompanied Pathfinder in Mars in 1997?

A: The Sojourner rover was with Pathfinder when launched to Mars.

Q:  How often does NASA send a new mission to Mars?

A:  Every 2 years NASA sends a new mission to Mars.

Q: The Viking 1 landed in what year?

A: The Viking 1 Lander landed on Mars in June of 1976.

 Q:  Why is the Mars Global Surveyor called the “first successful mission?”

A: The Mars Global Surveyor was called the “first successful mission” because for the next twenty years after the Viking 1 success every other mission to Mars failed.  The Mars Global Surveyor was noted as a scientific breakthrough for  producing a better map of Mars.  Previous missions only orbited Mars collecting photographs and data.

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