This is one of the first images taken by one of the three Sojourner rover cameras on Sol 3. At right, portions of the lander's deflated airbags and circular high-gain antenna are visible. The Martian horizon is at the background. Sojourner is equipped with three cameras -- a forward stereo system and rear color imaging system. These imaging systems will be used over the course of the rover's mission to get close-up views of rocks and soil.

Mars Pathfinder is the second in NASA's Discovery program of low-cost spacecraft with highly focused science goals. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, developed and manages the Mars Pathfinder mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C.

Photojournal note: Sojourner spent 83 days of a planned seven-day mission exploring the Martian terrain, acquiring images, and taking chemical, atmospheric and other measurements. The final data transmission received from Pathfinder was at 10:23 UTC on September 27, 1997. Although mission managers tried to restore full communications during the following five months, the successful mission was terminated on March 10, 1998.