General Electric (U.S.). Astro Space Division.

The Mars Observer (MO) was the first of the Planetary Observer missions, a series of low cost, modest scope missions for exploration of the inner solar system. This set had been recommended by the Solar System Exploration Committee of the NASA Advisory Council as a key element in the core program of solar system exploration through the year 2000. The Mars Observer was a strong start to the Planetary Observer program and to demonstrate the adaptability of existing spacecraft design to subsequent missions in this program. It was also fully relevant to the goals of solar system exploration, identified by the Space Sciences Board of the National Academy of Science.

The FY85 NASA Budget established the planning estimate for the development costs (through launch plus 30 days) for Mars Observer at $212M in FY85 dollars excluding the upper stage or injection capability, Space Transportation System integration and STS launch costs, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory institutional costs of Tracking and Data Acquisition and of the Space Flight Operations Center. The Mission Operations and Data Analysis phase of the project was estimated at $24M in FY85 dollars.

...