Mars Telecommunications Orbiter Gets Cancelled

NASA scrubs Red Planet craft to save green
Denver Rocky Mountain News 07/22/05
author: Jim Erickson
(Copyright 2005)

Belt-tightening at NASA has forced the space agency to cancel a planned $500 million Mars orbiter that was expected to be built by Lockheed Martin in Jefferson County.

Negotiations between the aerospace company and NASA had been expected to lead to the award of a design-and-build contract for the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter.

But the mission was canceled last week to cut costs, said Andy Dantzler, director of NASA's solar system division.