Observations by the Mars 1994 orbiter and possible correlations with Mars Pathfinder

Abstract

The Mars '94 spacecraft will still be operational when Mars Pathfinder begins its observations. While it will probably not be possible to detect the lander directly, the terrain, including the landing error ellipse, can be covered in high resolution (10 m) in various color bands. The stereo capability of the high resolution camera will provide a three-dimensional terrain map. The landing site of Pathfinder could possibly be chosen so that correlated observations of IMP and the remote sensing instruments onboard Mars '94 may be possible. We will discuss this scenario based on the presently adopted Mars '94 orbit and resulting enhancements stemming from correlations of data obtained by both spacecraft.