Question

The Pathfinder-Rover mission cost NASA 175 million, this was a 94 percent reduction from its two Viking mission's that cost 3 billion to develop. This is an example of budget reduction.

True
False

Answer 1

The claim that the Pathfinder-Rover mission's cost was a 94 percent reduction from the Viking's 3 billion dollar expense is true, serving as an exemplar of NASA's initiative in cost reduction while still pursuing its Martian exploration goals.

Step-by-step explanation:

Direct answer in two lines: The statement that the Pathfinder-Rover mission cost was a 94 percent reduction from the Viking missions, which cost 3 billion, is true. This demonstrates a significant example of budget reduction. Explanation in 200 words: The Viking missions conducted in the 1970s were complex and an ambitious part of space exploration history. The dual Viking spacecraft provided extensive information about the Martian surface and even carried out experiments in search of extraterrestrial life.

However, these missions were also costly, with an expenditure of around 3 billion dollars. In the effort to continue exploring Mars in more cost-effective ways, NASA's direction shifted in the 1990s with the Pathfinder mission, which successfully landed the first wheeled, solar-powered rover on Mars on July 4, 1997. The cost for the Pathfinder-Rover mission was 175 million dollars, which indeed marks a 94 percent reduction compared to its Viking predecessors.