Mars Pathfinder & Sojourner (1996–1997)

1. NASA selects Ares Vallis landing site

   Apr 1, 1994Labels: Ares Vallis, Mission planning

   • USGS Pub

2. Rover named “Sojourner” for Mars mission

   Jul 14, 1995Labels: Sojourner, Sojourner Truth

   • JPL News
   • Britannica

3. Mars Pathfinder launches toward Mars

   Dec 4, 1996Labels: Mars Pathfinder, Delta II

   • NASA History
   • PDS Doc

4. Cruise phase begins after launch separation

   Dec 4, 1996Labels: Cruise phase, Pathfinder spacecraft

   • PDS Doc

5. Pathfinder enters, descends, and lands on Mars

   Jul 4, 1997Labels: Ares Vallis, Airbag landing

   • NASA Science
   • Britannica
   • PDS Doc

6. NASA names the lander Carl Sagan Memorial Station

   Jul 5, 1997Labels: Carl Sagan, NASA

   • JPL News
   • NASA Science

7. Airbags retract, enabling safe rover ramp deployment

   Jul 5, 1997Labels: Airbags, Pathfinder lander

   • NASA PhotoJ
   • NASA Science

8. Sojourner drives down ramp onto Martian surface

   Jul 5, 1997Labels: Sojourner, Rover deployment

   • NASA Science
   • USGS Pub

9. Rover begins close-range rock composition measurements

   Jul 6, 1997Labels: APXS, Rock analysis

   • NASA History
   • USGS Pub

10. Mission surpasses design life as data returns grow

    Aug 1, 1997Labels: Mission operations, Pathfinder

    • NASA Science
    • USGS Pub

11. Final successful data transmission from Pathfinder

    Sep 27, 1997Labels: Final transmission, Data return

    • NASA Science
    • NASA PhotoJ

12. Mission is formally terminated after recovery attempts

    Mar 10, 1998Labels: Mission termination, Recovery attempts

    • NASA PhotoJ
    • NASA Science