Mars Probe Loss Leaves 2001 Lander in Lurch

Posted by jburk to Mars Odyssey at September 29, 1999 12:00 PM

The loss of the Mars Climate Orbiter has thrown a monkey wrench into plans for another Mars mission set for launch in 2001. The 2001 lander will have its own orbiter to serve as a communications link to Earth, but if it -- like the Climate Orbiter -- should fail, the lander would be left with no way to radio its science findings to Earth. That’s because the backup plan was to use Climate Orbiter.