Questions and Answers about the Pathfinder Launch and Cruise to Mars

Velocity change from Earth orbit to Mars

Attitude determination and control

Fate of Delta booster stages

Methods of trajectory analysis

Trajectory criteria

Speed of Pathfinder in flight

How Pathfinder was cooled

Launch mass of Pathfinder payload

Rumor about losing Pathfinder

Single Event Upset

Why Pathfinder needs cooling

Flying without optical navigation

Reason for spinning the Pathfinder during flight

Maintaining communication with Pathfinder while it's spinning

How long the trip takes

Yo-yo spin

Pathfinder slowing down

First two-way communication

Pathfinder in Earth's shadow

Second stage shutdown and startup during launch

Exact launch times and Earth's position

Pathfinder navigation accuracy

Break away pieces of Pathfinder

Amount of fuel used for launch

Amount of fuel needed by MPF

Launching when Earth and Mars are close

Launch date affecting arrival date