The spacecraft was tracked this way for more than an hour. The slow rotation suggests that little structural damage has occurred. Also, it is feared that even if the spacecraft is contacted, its instruments could have been irreparably damaged by the cold of space. NASA and European Space Agency investigators are examining the cause of the mishap, but it seems likely that miscommands by ground controllers are to blame for the loss of the spacecraft.
North is approximately up, and the illumination is from the lower right.
A new picture from Mars Global Surveyor reveals enigmatic linear features running several kilometers over the hills and dunes of the red planet's surface. Jokingly referred to as the tracks of a sport-utility vehicle, the features are more likely to be the effect of dust devils. Previous spacecraft have shown evidence for dust devils, including Mars Pathfinder, which apparently had one pass directly over the lander. For more information about the image, see NASA's online press release . Here the new mirror for the MMT Observatory makes its way along an Arizona street toward Mount Hopkins on July 28th.