Mars Says: Go Away.

• Position: Mars Polar Lander goes awol - Brief Article

For the second time in two months, the U.S. space agency lost contact with a spacecraft as it approached Mars on an exploratory mission. The Mars Polar Lander fell mysteriously silent in December as it entered the planet's atmosphere en route to a landing. For seven days, officials at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) tried to reestablish contact, but without success.

The failed lander mission followed the loss in September of the Mars...