The JPL Returns to Mars Action Pack is an Action Pack produced in 1999 designed in collaboration with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It was the final Action Pack designed in collaboration with JPL. It was designed to recreate the Mars Surveyor '98 mission, which ultimately proved a costly failure as all spacecraft involved were either lost or destroyed.
Despite the failure of the actual mission, the action packs sold fairly well, mainly due to rumors regarding recalls or limited distribution of this set which ultimately never occurred. This would be the last product designed in collaboration with JPL until the Curiosity in 2012.
Description[]
Was there ever life on Mars? Scientists want to find out, so on December 11, 1998, they launched the Mars Climate Orbiter spacecraft which began orbit around the Red Planet on September 23, 1999, to observe the climate and map the Martian surface.
Then on January 3, 1999, they launched the Mars Polar Lander spacecraft carrying two basketball-sized aeroshells. On December 3, 1999, these with detach and slam into the planet surface at 450 mph, each releasing a Deep Space 2 Microprobe that will analyze the subsurface soil.
Ten minutes later, the Polar Lander will touch down near the South Pole on Mars. Using a robotic arm equipped with a miniature camera, it will search for traces of frozen water under the planet's surface which could be evidence of previous life on Mars!
For more info about Mars exploration, visit https://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/
Vehicles[]
The following vehicles were included in the JPL Returns To Mars Action Pack:
| Casting Name | Color | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| Mars Climate Orbiter | White | 
|
| Aeroshell/Entry System | Black/White | 
|
| Deep Space 2 Microprobe | Gold | 
|
| Mars Polar Lander | Gold | 
|
