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DUSTY
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IN DECEMBER, NASA WAS UNABLE TO REESTABLISH CONTACT WITH ITS MARS POLAR LANDER AFTER THE SPACECRAFT ENTERED THE MARTIAN ATMOSPHERE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONLY ABOUT TWO MONTHS AFTER THE FAILURE OF THE MARS CLIMATE ORBITER, WHICH WAS TO HELP RELAY INFORMATION FROM THE LANDER TO EARTH. WHY THE LANDER FAILED IS UNKNOWN. BUT THE ORBITER WENT ASTRAY, AMONG OTHER REASONS, BECAUSE THE SPACECRAFT'S NAVIGATION COMMANDS WERE IN ENGLISH UNITS OF MEASUREMENT RATHER THAN IN THE MORE WIDELY USED METRIC SYSTEM! THIS DIFFERENCE PREVENTED NAVIGATION DATA FROM BEING TRANSFERRED PROPERLY. ALTHOUGH DISAPPOINTED AT THEIR LOSSES, NASA SCIENTIST INTEND TO CONTINUE PURSUING THEIR GOALS, SAYS CNN. THESE ARE "TO LEARN ABOUT THE RED PLANET'S CLIMATIC AND GEOLOGIC HISTORY; TO LOOK FOR SIGNS OF LIFE; AND TO LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR MANNED EXPLORATION."
