Posted by tourdemars to Mars Polar Lander at December 10, 1999 12:00 PM

Today was supposed to be "Sol 7," another full Martian day of work for the visitor from Earth - its robot arm digging, its eyes scanning the horizon, its microphone ear listening for the whisper of frigid wind. Instead, Mars Polar Lander is lost along with a companion satellite that was supposed to have parked itself in Martian orbit 10 weeks ago, taken pictures of the landscape and relayed the data back home.