Control Systems for the Mars Pathfinder Mission

The Mars Pathfinder Project began in October 1993, along with the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous Program, as one of the first Discovery Program missions funded by NASA. The Mars Pathfinder Project is planned, designed, launched and operated by JPL Mars Pathfinder Project Team under the management of JPL Mars Exploration Project Office. The project is intended to be JPL's most visible demonstration of a successful better, faster, cheaper mission in accordance with NASA's new direction. Mars Pathfinder will place a lander vehicle and rover on the Mars Surface and conduct significant technology and science experiments. The principle mission objective is to demonstrate a low cost cruise, entry, descent and landing system required to place a single payload on the Martian surface in a safe operational mode. Additional objectives include the deployment and operation of three science instruments and operation of the Microrover Flight Experiment. Mars Pathfinder will set the course for future Mars lander missions as part of a comprehensive NASA Mars exploration program.