NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover mission has been the most successful journey
to and across the red planet to date. The twin rovers, robotic geologists dubbed
Spirit and Opportunity by a nine-year-old in Scottsdale, Ariz., who won a NASA-sponsored
contest, have been on Mars since January 2004. As of July 1, Spirit was in its
532nd sol, or martian day (one sol is 40 minutes longer than one day on Earth),
and Opportunity had reached sol 512.
Both rovers have traveled from their original landing sites (Spirit landed in
Gusev Crater and Opportunity at Meridiani Planum), overcoming several trials
and tribulations, such as getting stuck in Martian soils and running low on
solar power because of dust. Each has photographed much of the approximate 5
kilometers of their individual journeys, sampled rocks including layered rocks
and iron meteorites, and found hematite, goethite (hydrated iron oxide) and
salty soils — indications that water may have been present on the rocky
terrain in the planet’s geologic past.
Here is a small sampling of more than 86,000 images that have been returned
by Spirit and Opportunity, showing everything from panoramic views of the Mars’
landscape to the impact crater created by Opportunity’s heat shield.
To see these images, please order a copy of the
July issue of Geotimes by emailing customer service here.
Read past coverage of Mars in Geotimes here.
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