Mars Surveyor 2001 Orbiter
Due to cost overruns
and rover development problems, the Mars Surveyor 2001 mission is being rescoped. This rescoping
may include postponement of the rover until the Mars 2003 mission and other changes to the
instrumentation and mission profile. Full details of the new mission plan are not yet
available, information below is subject to change.
The Mars Surveyor 2001 Project consists of two separately launched missions, The Mars Surveyor 2001 Orbiter Spacecraft and the Mars Surveyor 2001 Lander. The Orbiter will nominally orbit Mars for three years, with the objective of conducting a detailed mineralogical analysis of the planet's surface from orbit and measuring the radiation environment. The Lander is equipped to study soil and atmospheric chemistry and radiation at the surface. The Orbiter will also act as a communications relay for the Lander.