The Mars Pathfinder

The Mars Pathfinder Launches

Dec 4, 1996

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Pathfinder NASA launches the Mars Pathfinder aboard a Delta II booster.

Mars Pathfinder

Period: Dec 4, 1996 to Mar 10, 1998

The Mars Pathfinder lands

Jul 4, 1997

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/mesur.html The Mars Pathfinder lands on Mars in a region known as the Ares Vallis.

The Sojourner rover is deployed

Jul 6, 1997

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/mesur.html The Sojourner rover leaves the Pathfinder lander and begins its mission of exploring Mars' surface.

Communication is lost

Sep 27, 1997

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/mesur.html For unknown reasons, communication with the Mars Pathfinder lander and Sojourner rover was lost.

The Mars Pathfinder mission comes to an end

Mar 10, 1998

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Pathfinder NASA tried to restore communication with the Pathfinder lander and Sojourner rover. However, they failed and finally ended the mission a little over five months after communication was lost.