On Jan. 3, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Project will deliver the first mobile laboratory to the surface of Mars. The rover will perform robotic geological fieldwork that may reveal a history of water on Mars. On Jan. 2, 2004, NASA's Stardust spacecraft will have a close encounter with comet Wild 2, deploying a collector to catch particles for return to Earth.
NASA's first rover, Spirit, will arrive at Mars at approximately 11:35 p.m. EST Jan. 3. Information about the Mars Exploration Rover mission is available online at:
Press conferences will be conducted at JPL starting today on the Stardust and Mars missions. Information about both missions is available at:
- News briefing, Stardust pre-flyby overview, 2 to 3 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 2
-- News briefing, Mars science overview, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
-- Live coverage of Stardust flyby, 2 p.m.
-- News briefing, Mars rover mission overview, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
-- News briefing, Stardust flyby, 6 to 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 3
-- News briefing, Spirit landing status, 3 to 4 p.m.
-- News briefing, Mars program overview, 6 to 7 p.m.
-- Live Mars rover mission coverage begins, 9:45 p.m.
-- Spirit Mars landing, NET 11:35 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 4
-- News briefing, Spirit landing, 12:30 to 1:30 a.m.
-- Other news briefings, times TBD
NASA TV will provide extensive mission coverage. NASA TV is available on AMC-9, transponder 9C, C-Band, located at 85 degrees west longitude. The frequency is 3880.0 MHz. Polarization is vertical, and audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz. Audio only of coverage is available by calling: 321/867-
1220/1240/1260/7135. TV schedule:For information about NASA and agency missions on the Internet, visit:
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Jacques :-)
Editor: