The Mars Polar Lander landed on Mars on December 3rd. This planetary probe was to provide a first look at the Martian polar area, a place that no probe has been to before. It also was equipped with a microphone provided by the Planetary Society that was to record and send back the first ever sounds from Mars. Unfortunately, as of the date of this writing it has not yet been heard from and there is a strong chance that the craft is unable to contact Earth for a host of possible reasons. I would have rather written about how it was sending great signals back to Earth and the mission was underway, but losses happen.
Space is an inhospitable place.
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