Mars Pathfinder – Spaceflight Now

November 26, 2025

Breaking News

[ November 24, 2025 ] NASA, Boeing pivot Starliner-1 mission from 4-person astronaut flight to cargo-only News
[ November 23, 2025 ] SpaceX launches 28 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg on brand new Falcon 9 rocket Falcon 9
[ November 21, 2025 ] Falcon 9 rocket continues Starlink deployments with launch from Cape Canaveral Falcon 9
[ November 20, 2025 ] Falcon 9 Starlink mission marks 100th launch of the year from Florida’s Space Coast Falcon 9
[ November 18, 2025 ] SpaceX resumes early evening launches after FAA restrictions lifted News

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.