How does it feel to lose a billion dollars and 10 years of hard work? NASA scientists know all too well. In 1993, the Mars Observer--a fancy spacecraft designed to map the Red Planet--went hurtling beyond the sun, gone forever. Recalls NASA's Alan Ladwig: "It just disappeared."
The mood was much more joyous at NASA on Thursday, when the Mars Global Surveyor, traveling at about 11,000 miles per hour, slammed on its brakes and slipped neatly into its Martian orbit. "We are at Mars to stay!" exclaimed NASA science chief Wesley Huntress Jr.
Surveyor, a low-cost replacement for the lost Observer, had spent 10 months traveling to Mars. For two years, it will map Mars' surface from about 250 miles away.
Surveyor will add to the wealth of new data about Mars gathered by the Pathfinder mission this summer. Pathfinder thrilled scientists and millions of others with its stunning snapshots of dusty valleys and rocks nicknamed Casper and Barnacle Bill.
Why is Mars such a hot spot? Although its temperature can dip to minus 200°F, the hilly terrain and high, wispy ice clouds are similar to some of Earth's features. Water seems to have flowed through deep cuts in the land. And where there is liquid water, there is the possibility of life.
Back on Earth, Surveyor's findings may not be as exciting as Pathfinder's incredible photos. But for scientists, Surveyor is part of an important phase in space exploration. For at least the next 10 years, many more orbiters will head to Mars, spying on the planet most like our own.