Scientist Has Low Expectations for Lander Hunt

Posted by tourdemars to Mars Global Surveyor at December 16, 1999 12:00 PM

NASA's lone Mars orbiter started a photographic search for its latest lost mission at the red planet Thursday. But the scientist who designed the orbiter's camera is pessimistic about the chances of finding Mars Polar Lander. "The probability of seeing something is pretty small," said geologist Mike Malin, mostly because of the poor illumination of the suspected landing area.