Tags: Spacecraft.
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.
