December 4, 1996 6:58 am

Mars Pathfinder

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Delta II

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
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December 4, 1996 6:58 am

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2026-07-12 12:53:24

he MPF (Mars Pathfinder) (formerly known as the Mars Environmental Survey, or MESUR Pathfinder) is the second of NASA’s low-cost planetary Discovery missions. The mission consists of a stationary lander and a surface rover. The mission has the primary objective of demonstrating the feasibility of low-cost landings on and exploration of the Martian surface. This objective will be met by tests of communications between the rover and lander, and the lander and Earth, and tests of the imaging devices and sensors.
Launch Overview
Window Open 06:58 UTC
Window Close 06:58 UTC
Lift Off Dec 4, 1996 · 06:58 UTC
Launch Facility Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Launch Pad Space Launch Complex 17B
Target Orbit Heliocentric N/A
Payload Overview
Customer United States Air Force
Payload Mars Pathfinder
Rocket Delta II
Destination Heliocentric N/A
Recovery Overview
Landing Location See Mission Notes
Landing Type RTLS / Droneship
he MPF (Mars Pathfinder) (formerly known as the Mars Environmental Survey, or MESUR Pathfinder) is the second of NASA’s low-cost planetary Discovery missions. The mission consists of a stationary lander and a surface rover. The mission has the primary objective of demonstrating the feasibility of low-cost landings on and exploration of the Martian surface. This objective will be met by tests of communications between the rover and lander, and the lander and Earth, and tests of the imaging devices and sensors.

Height

LEO Payload

Total Launches

Status

United States Air Force
Space Launch Complex 17B
Launch Overview
Window Open 06:58 UTC
Window Close 06:58 UTC
Lift Off Dec 4, 1996 · 06:58 UTC
Launch Facility Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Launch Pad Space Launch Complex 17B
Target Orbit Heliocentric N/A
Payload Overview
Customer United States Air Force
Payload Mars Pathfinder
Rocket Delta II
Destination Heliocentric N/A
Recovery Overview
Landing Location See Mission Notes
Landing Type RTLS / Droneship

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