The Deep Space 2 Project will benefit future space missions and the exploration of Mars through:

• Developing and flight validating technologies which will enable future planetary network missions (e.g. simultaneous deployment of multiple landers, penetrators, etc.).

• Allowing future missions to use these technologies without incurring the costs or risks associated with their first use.

• Pioneering new ways of doing business to reduce mission costs and cycle time.

• Pioneering new ways to partner with industry, academic institutions, and other non-profit organizations.

• Collecting meaningful science data on the Martian atmosphere and soil.

Deep Space 2 Firsts

The Deep Space 2 Project has achieved many firsts in Mars exploration. This includes being the:

• First NASA probe to penetrate a planet

• First mission to attempt to capture a soil sample below the surface of a planet

• First ultra low mass, low-volume and low-power flight system on a spacecraft

• First highly integrated microelectronics system on a spacecraft

• First mission to use a single-stage, passive atmospheric entry system (the aeroshell)

• First system to operate under harsh conditions at -120° C (-184° F), and after a 60,000 G impact

• First mission ever to use a wireless cabling system
  Two Deep Space 2 probes were installed onto the Mars '98 Lander Spacecraft at Kennedy Space Center in November 1998, and were launched in January 1999.