From: stgprao@st.unocal.COM (Richard Ottolini)
Subject: Re: Life on Mars.
Organization: Unocal Corporation
Lines: 13

In article <1993May11.153010.438@den.mmc.com> seale@possum.den.mmc.com (Eric H Seale) writes:
>I can't speak for the Russian probes, but the last I heard, the 1997 US
>probe is planned to have air-bags on it (seriously!) to cushion the
>impact.  Hopefully, it won't be a "bouncer" (should just hit and go
>"thud").

The JPL/San Gabriel AIAA session last week showed the Russian
lander encased in a single large airbag with ravelable stitches.
The Russian design is pretty firm and hardware is due from
international experimenters by 1/94.
The proposed 1997 American lander has a bunch of airbags shaped
like a bunch of grapes.  They were dropping it in the desert last
month.  It may have a 20 kg mini-rover in it.
