QUESTION:
What do you expect from the Pathfinder misson?

ANSWER from JPL Mars Pathfinder Web Page on Dec 9th 1996:
The Pathfinder mission is primarily an engineering demonstration of key 
technologies and concepts for eventual use in future missions to 
Mars employing scientific landers. The big two technologies are
soft landing (with airbags) and mobile exploration (with Sojournber 
the rover).

Pathfinder also delivers science instruments to the surface of Mars to 
investigate the structure of the Martian atmosphere, surface meteorology, 
surface geology, form, and structure, and the elemental composition of 
Martian rocks and soil.