United States Air ForceDelta II 7425-9.5Space Launch Complex 17B, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Mars Polar Lander
Launched
January 3, 1999
Image: NASA
Summary
Mars Polar Lander launched on an United States Air Force Delta II 7425-9.5 from Space Launch Complex 17B, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA on January 3, 1999. It was United States Air Force's 1,004th launch, 1st this year and humanity's 4,290th orbital launch attempt. It was the 2nd Delta II 7425-9.5 flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for Heliocentric N/A (Helio-N/A). 3 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Delta II 7425-9.5 · United States Air Force
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Robotic Exploration · Heliocentric N/A (Helio-N/A)
- Milestone
- 2nd Delta II 7425-9.5 flight · 1st this yearUnited States Air Force's 1,004th launch1st this yearhumanity's 4,290th orbital launch attempt1st orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Catalogued objects
3 catalogued: 1 payload, 2 rocket stages
- Mars Polar Lander · NORAD 25605 · left Earth orbit January 4, 1999
Delta 265 Stage 3 · left Earth orbit January 4, 1999
Delta 265 · re-entered March 23, 1999
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
The Mars Polar Lander, also known as the Mars Surveyor '98 Lander, was a 290-kilogram robotic spacecraft lander launched by NASA on January 3, 1999 to study the soil and climate of Planum Australe, a region near the south pole on Mars. It formed part of the Mars Surveyor '98 mission. On December 3, 1999, however, after the descent phase was expected to be complete, the lander failed to reestablish communication with Earth. A post-mortem analysis determined the most likely cause of the mishap was premature termination of the engine firing prior to the lander touching the surface, causing it to strike the planet at a high velocity.
Pad
Space Launch Complex 17B, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
109th launch from Space Launch Complex 17B, 1st this year · 557th from Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
132 launches from this pad · 1,131 from Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
41 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did Mars Polar Lander launch?
Mars Polar Lander launched on January 3, 1999. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Mars Polar Lander?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Mars Polar Lander?
Delta II 7425-9.5, flown by United States Air Force. Delta II 7425-9.5 spec sheet
Where did Mars Polar Lander launch from?
Space Launch Complex 17B, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA.
What orbit was Mars Polar Lander going to?
Heliocentric N/A (Helio-N/A), a robotic exploration mission.
How many satellites did Mars Polar Lander launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).