Donald Savage
Headquarters, Washington, DC                         July 21, 2000
(Phone:  202/358-1547)

NOTE TO EDITORS:  N00-34

NASA POSTPONES MARS 2003 ANNOUNCEMENT

     The Mars 2003 press conference originally scheduled for 2:00 
p.m. EDT Monday, 
July 24, 2000, has been postponed.

     Dr. Edward Weiler, Associate Administrator, Office of Space 
Science, Washington, DC, said making the decision was much more 
complex and difficult than anticipated and that it will take perhaps 
one to two weeks longer than planned to make the final decision.  

                             -end-