Another July 4th Anniversary: Pathfinder's Landing On Mars
In 1997, the spacecraft's mission paved the way for the more sophisticated rovers operating on the Red Planet today.
Twenty years ago Tuesday, a plucky little probe named Pathfinder landed at Ares Vallis on the surface of Mars.
It didn't land in the traditional way, with retrorockets firing until it reached the surface. No, Pathfinder bounced down to its landing site, cushioned by giant airbags. It was a novel approach, and the successful maneuver paved the
