QUESTION:
How come all of those panels and other pieces of machinery break away
from the Pathfinder?

ANSWER from Guy Beutelschies on March 24, 1997:
We get rid of the solar panels and other equipment on our "cruise stage"
because they are no longer needed.  They are only used for the journey from
Earth to Mars.  Once we enter the atmosphere, only the equipment that will
actually be used on the surface is kept protected inside the Aeroshell as
we descend to the surface.

Guy Beutelschies:	Mars Pathfinder Flight Engineer