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An image released on 09/07/98 showing the mysterious "Giant Polygons" of the Martian northern plains. These "Polygons" were first seen by the Viking Orbiters in the 1970's...they appear to be huge cracks in the surface of the Red Planet. Click on image for full size (142K GIF) Courtesy of NASA

There is a problem with one of the antennae on the MGS. Engineers will send it a signal, and then the antenna will pop open. But engineers aren't sure if it will pop open too quickly. This could shake up the spacecraft so that we can't communicate with it any more. Right now, people who work for the MGS project are trying to figure out what to do.

Check out this picture to the left. The MGS took that picture this week...it is of the surface of Mars!

An image released on 09/07/98 showing the mysterious "Giant Polygons" of the Martian northern plains. These "Polygons" were first seen by the Viking Orbiters in the 1970's...they appear to be huge cracks in the surface of the Red Planet. Click on image for full size (142K GIF) Courtesy of NASA

Problems with one of the antennae is slowing exploration down. To map the surface of Mars really well, engineers need this antenna because it transmits information so fast. However, engineers are not sure that this antenna will open correctly. In the worst-case scenario, contact could be lost with the Surveyor spacecraft. Right now, people who work for the MGS project are trying to figure out what to do. They'll make a final decision in February.

Now that's not to say that the Surveyor is sailing through its Martian orbit with nothing to do. The Surveyor continues to do just that - survey! It recently was exploring features called the "Giant Polygons" (in the image to the left).

An image released on 09/07/98 showing the mysterious "Giant Polygons" of the Martian northern plains. These "Polygons" were first seen by the Viking Orbiters in the 1970's...they appear to be huge cracks in the surface of the Red Planet. Click on image for full size (142K GIF) Courtesy of NASA

The Surveyor spacecraft will complete its aero-braking procedures, bringing the Surveyor into its final and closer orbit to the Red Planet. From this lower orbit, detailed mapping of the surface can occur. After the aerobraking is finished, the high-gain antenna could be opened allowing for speedy transfer of the mapping data. However, managers are not sure that the high-gain antenna will open correctly. In the worst-case scenario, contact could be lost with the Surveyor spacecraft. So it is likely that a conservative decision to delay antenna deployment will be made in February 1999, a month before the main mapping portion of the mission is to start. This decision will maximize the probability of overall mission success.

Now that's not to say that the Surveyor is sailing through its Martian orbit with nothing to do. The Surveyor continues to do just that - survey! It recently was exploring features called the "Giant Polygons" (in the image to the left). Without the high-gain antenna, data can still be transmitted to the Earth, but it certainly takes a longer process.