Mars Surveyor '98:
Deep Space 2 Microprobes

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Named after polar explorers Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott, the Deep Space 2/Mars microprobes would have penetrated the surface of Mars near the south pole to a depth of up to 3 feet in order to search for evidence of water or ice.
DEEPSP2 On December 3, 1999, the probes were nearing Mars, preparing to enter the atmosphere and to bring them to their intended landing site; but contact was never made with either probe, and the mission was presumed lost.

The mission objectives were to: (1) test for the presence of water ice below the surface and, if ice exists, attempt to discover the properties of the minerals in which the ice is stored; (2) determine the temperature below the surface; and (3) measure the atmospheric pressure and temperature.

aeroshell

 An aeroshell that encased the probe was designed to protect the probe from the heat of atmospheric entry. The aeroshell was made of a ceramic material designed to shatter on impact with the surface.
The probe itself consisted of two parts, an aft body and a forebody. The aft body was designed to remain above the surface after impact to provide radio communications. The forebody, or penetrator, was a long thin cylinder.  At the center of the cylinder were the drill, the soil sample chamber, and the heating and ice and water vapor detection equipment. Both parts of the probe were designed to withstand extreme decelerations.

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Before deployment, the probes were mounted on the cruise stage of the Mars Polar Lander under the solar panels. The probes were each powered by two non-rechargeable lithium-thionyl chloride batteries. The batteries were expected to provide power for 1 to 3 days, but they may have lasted longer. Technology tests included survivability of small science instruments, and of the aeroshell and its accompanying components. Click here for two movies about the mission.

NEXT... Mars Surveyor 98: Deep Space 2 Microprobes, Continued