-   **January 3:** Launch of *Mars Polar Lander*.


-   **February 15:** In Scotland, an air traffic controller detects on
    his radar screen the echo of a very large object moving at 3000
    miles/h above the Scottish coast towards South-West Belfast. The
    size of the echo indicates that the object is 10 miles long and 2
    miles wide. 2 minutes later, the object disappears from the radar
    screen [\[The Observer, 04-06-2000\]]{.source}.


- **February 20:** French astronaut Jean-Pierre Haigneré launches for *Mir*.


-   **March 24:** Beginning of NATO airstrikes against Serbia.


-   **March 28:** First launch of a *ZĂ©nith* rocket in open sea from the *Odyssey* base of the Sea-Launch firm.


-   **March 30:** The [ESA](orgsScientifiques.html#ESA) signs a contract with Matra Marconi Space for the construction of *Mars Express*.


-   **July 16:** A report from [COMETA](COMETA.html) is published through a special issue of VSD titled OVNI and Defense: What Should We Prepare For?

-   **August 11:** Solar Eclipse.


-   **September 23:** The *Mars Orbiter* probe crashes into the surface of the red planet it was supposed to observe. The [NASA](NASA.html) indicates a navigation error.