• Set 1 (10/13/99), includes images of five areas (Northeastern Meridiani Sinus, Southern Isidis Rim, Amenthes highlands, "Hesperia Paleolake", and Western Meridiani Sinus Hematite)

• Set 2 (11/15/99), focuses mainly on images acquired since September 1999 for the two final candidate sites, the Southern Isidis Rim and Western Meidiani Sinus Hematite locations

The purpose of this release (http://www.msss.com/2001/index.htm) is to provide the Mars research community a suite of images in regions identified by this community as the highest-potential landing sites for the 2001 Mars Surveyor Lander. These images are to be used for assessment of landing site hazards, suitability and other geotechnical issues pertaining to the selection of a site. Primary reporting of results of investigation of these images should center on the geotechnical issues and not scientific research.

Use of images that have not been archived with the NASA PDS (Planetary Data System) for scientific research is discouraged. Most of the images presented here have not been validated, and may contain artifacts that would compromise their use for scientific purposes. Validated archival data are being prepared by MSSS and are submitted to the NASA PDS on a 6-month basis; the first release included all images with prefix AB1, SPO1, and SPO2 in April 1999, the second release (which was not yet validated) included images of prefix starting with letter "F" in early-October 1999. All images with prefix starting with "M" and "C" have not been released to PDS.