Exploratour - Mars Exploration
Mars Observer
Mars Observer was sent to observe the weather, the magnetic field, and the surface of Mars. It carried 8 different instruments. The Observer failed just before entering orbit around Mars. Over the long cruise from Earth to Mars, some of the fuel cleaked into the engines. When the engines were turned on for orbit entry, the fuel tanks blew up.
Out of the failure of MO came the Mars Surveyor Program. The instruments carried by MO will now be carried by the Mars Global Surveyor,
currently gathering data, Mars '98, as well as Mars 2001.