You’ve probably heard about the Mars Pathfinder probe. Once it lands on the
red planet, pathfinder will release the sojourner rover, a little laboratory on
wheels. Sojourner will cruise about the Martian surface performing experiments.
It turns out that sojourner and pathfinder will communicate using two standard,
off-the-shelf 9600-baud radio modems.
According to jet propulsion laboratory program manager Donna Shirley, the
modem manufacturer warned jpl that sending the modem to mars would void the
warrantee.