This is an image of the Mars '98 spacecraft being prepared for launch.
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NASA
An Overview of the Mars '98 mission
News story originally written on April 24, 1998
The countdown has started for the Mars '98 mission. Only 230 days until the launch of the Mars Orbiter! Here are the details!
The Mars '98 mission will study the weather and the surface of Mars. Mars '98 is to build upon the discoveries of the Mars Pathfinder and Mars Global Surveyor missions by digging into the Martian surface in search of water.
Mars '98 consists of two spacecraft. The first one is a lander called the Martian Polar Lander. This one will land on the surface of Mars and dig into the soil with a robot arm. The second one will remain in orbit around Mars. This one is called the Martian Climate Orbiter.
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