Mars Pathfinder – Spaceflight Now

February 20, 2026

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NASA marks 20 years of continuous Mars exploration

July 4, 2017 Stephen Clark

NASA’s Mars Pathfinder probe dropped to the surface of Mars for an airbag-cushioned landing 20 years ago Tuesday, bouncing 15 times across an ancient flood plain before deploying a mobile robot to usher in two decades of uninterrupted Martian exploration.

Video: Tower rollback prior to launch of Mars Pathfinder atop a Delta 2

December 4, 1996 Spaceflight Now

The Mobile Service Tower at LC-17B is rolled away from the Delta 2 rocket that launched NASA’s Mars Pathfinder mission on its way to the red planet on December 4, 1996. This video includes footage shot inside the blockhouse at the launch pad.

Video: Mars Pathfinder pre-launch preparations

December 4, 1996 Spaceflight Now

Mars Pathfinder Mission Director Tony Spear narrates a video describing the launch preparations for the Mars Pathfinder spacecraft and the Sojourner rover.