🚀 go-pugleaf

	In regards to an earlier posting about MARS 3 being the first
    human-made vehicle to land on the planet Mars, this is incorrect.  Its
    companion probe, MARS 2, was actually first (1971), though it unfor-
    tunately crashed on the planet's surface without returning any useful
    data.  MARS 3 did land successfully, but it broadcast signals for
    only ninety seconds before mysteriously going silent (a planetary
    sandstorm occuring at that time is usually blamed for the probe's 
    demise).  MARS 3 did return one partial picture of the surface, but
    it was of such poor quality that no details could be seen (I have
    never seen this picture, though I would like to out of sheer curi-
    ousity; does anyone know where I might be able to see it?  Thanks.).

	Also, MARS 2 and 3 were not "spike" probes, as the earlier
    posting stated, but were based on the LUNA 9 and 13 lander designs,
    basically a sphere balanced upright by four metal "petals" which 
    shielded the instruments during landing, then opened outward to keep
    the probe upright on the surface.

	Larry Klaes