This delay allows mission engineers to continue their evaluation of all spacecraft systems and operational procedures after the loss of Mars Climate Orbiter. The thruster maneuver was previously scheduled for today.

The spacecraft is healthy and the team is continuing to test and train for the early surface phase of the mission.

Mars Polar Lander is currently 18.8 million kilometers (11.7 million miles) from Mars, approaching the planet at a speed of 4.8 kilometers per second (10,740 miles per hour) relative to the planet.

Meanwhile JPL will hold a public talk called "Return to Mars" that will focus on the Polar lander mission. A pair of free public lectures will be held on Thursday, October 21, at Jet Propulsion Laboratory's von Karman Auditorium, and Friday, October 22 at the Pasadena City College Forum, both at 7 p.m. Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.

Lecturers Dr. Richard Zurek, project scientist for the Mars Polar Lander, and Dr. Suzanne Smrekar, project scientist for the Deep Space 2 microprobes, will present "Return to Mars."

Mars Polar Lander will touch down on December 3 near the south pole of Mars and use a robot arm to scoop up soil samples that will be tested by scientific instruments onboard. The lander is looking for evidence of water that would help scientists understand the current and ancient climate on Mars.

The lander also carries two microprobes that have been piggybacking on the spacecraft during its flight to the red planet. Shortly before Mars Polar Lander sets down, the two Deep Space 2 microprobes will be jettisoned from the lander. They will punch into the Martian soil to a depth of about a meter (about one yard) to test new technologies and look for water.

JPL manages the Mars Polar Lander and the Deep Space 2 missions for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif.