On this night in science
Off to Mars with a little rover
December 4, 1996
On this day in 1996, a spacecraft called Mars Pathfinder launched from Florida, carrying a small rover named Sojourner. When it reached Mars the next summer, it landed wrapped in giant airbags, bouncing across the ground until it rolled to a stop.
Why it mattered
Sojourner was the first rover ever to drive on Mars. The bigger rovers that came after it all followed in its tracks.
Wonder together
Why do you think airbags were a good way to land on a rocky planet?