National Aeronautics and Space Administration Mercury Earth Jupiter Uranus Neptune Venus Mars Saturn The Mars Exploration Rovers: Spirit and Opportunity www.nasa.gov The Mars Exploration Rover Mission Spirit found soils and rocks with extremely high con- packed the lander inside a heat shield and back shell centrations of materials that typically form in either hot attached to a cruise stage. Upon arrival, with the Spirit and Opportunity are identical twin robotic rov- springs or volcanic steam vents. These conditions may spacecraft’s velocity still increasing from the pull of ers that have gone far beyond their original scientific have been favorable for supporting microbial life. On Mars’ gravity, the entry capsule jettisoned the cruise objectives to rewrite our understanding of the early his- Earth, microbes known as “extremophiles” thrive in stage. A large supersonic parachute inflated in the tory of Mars. NASA sent these two “robotic geologists” similar environments. thin Martian atmosphere to slow the lander. Near the on a 90-day mission to search for geological clues ground, solid rocket motors fired to reduce landing regarding environmental conditions on early Mars, and Opportunity found that more chemically neutral, “drink- speed further. Airbags inflated around the lander to assess whether those environments were conducive to able” water once persisted on Mars before an acidic cushion the impact, and the lander bounced and rolled life. The mission team chose two landing sites, Gusev period in the ancient past, thus creating more favorable to a stop on Mars. Once the airbags deflated, the Crater and Meridiani Planum, for the likelihood that conditions for microbial life. The rovers’ discoveries lander’s “petals” opened, revealing the rover ready to liquid water, a prerequisite for life, was once present made a huge leap forward in expanding the possibility raise its “head,” stand up, and roll off for its adventures there. that Mars once provided habitable conditions. on Mars. Each rover far outlasted its design lifetime. Spirit Following the trail of past water on Mars, the rovers launched June 10, 2003, and landed in Gusev Crater successfully allowed scientists to characterize much of on January 4, 2004. Opportunity launched July 7, what the red planet was like when liquid water flowed The Mars Exploration Rover mission is part of NASA’s Mars 2003, and landed in Meridiani Planum on January 25, there. Exploration Program, a long-term, multi-mission effort to un- 2004. Opportunity continues to operate in its tenth derstand Mars as a potential place for past or present life (its Science Tools year. Spirit’s final communication to Earth occurred on habitability), to seek signs of life, and to prepare for human exploration. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the March 22, 2010, about six years into its mission. The Each rover carries a science payload consisting of a California Institute of Technology, manages the mission on be- rover lasted 20 times longer than its original design. Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer and Pan- half of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. oramic Camera at the top of a rotatable mast (the During their journeys of exploration, Spirit and Oppor- rover’s “neck”) to survey the surrounding terrain. A tunity outperformed even the most optimistic expecta- Other NASA Center partners include Ames Research Center, robotic arm helps scientists examine rocks and soils, tions of their builders. For scientists studying Mars, the Langley Research Center, Glenn Research Center, and Ken- by using contact instruments (Alpha Particle X-Ray robotic rovers proved to be the next best thing to actu- nedy Space Center. Science payload partners include Cornell Spectrometer, Mössbauer Spectrometer, and a Micro- ally being there with geology tools in hand. The ten- University, Arizona State University, Max Planck Institut für scopic Imager) and a Rock Abrasion Tool. Engineer- year record of discoveries compiled during the mission Chemie, Johannes Gutenberg University, Niels Bohr Institute, ing sensors and other components are also useful for has helped scientists reconstruct a past when Mars Honeybee Robotics, and the U.S. Geological Survey. science investigations and for navigation and mobility. was awash in water, which may have created environ- These include stereo navigation cameras, front and More Information ments favorable for microbial life. rear stereo hazard avoidance cameras, wheel motors, marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov Scientific Findings wheel motor current and voltage data for measuring ground properties, the wheels themselves for digging, The mission took one of the first steps in understand- gyros, accelerometers for describing terrain contours, ing the possibilities for life on Mars: whether the and solar cell readings for measuring how much dust is An artist’s concept of one of the Mars Martian environment ever could have supported life. in the atmosphere or deposited on the rover. Exploration Rovers on the surface of Analysis of rocks and soil in several of the locales ex- Mars. plored by the rovers shows changes in the rock record Spacecraft Design that could only occur from persistent soaking in water. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell Each spacecraft contained a rover tucked inside a lander. For the trip from Earth to Mars, engineers JPL 400-1548A 12/13 Spirit: Ascent of Husband Hill www.nasa.gov The Mars Exploration Rover Mission brought a fascinating new landscape into view and struggled up toward a ridgeline on Husband Hill, they completely different geologic conditions to explore. churned up bright material. This unexpected discovery Spirit and Opportunity are identical twin robotic rov- For the first time in its mission, Spirit found evidence was good fortune for Spirit: the rover determined that ers that have gone far beyond their original scientific of past water. As the rover gained altitude, more and the salty material had water molecules bound to the objectives to rewrite our understanding of the early his- more signs of a wet past became apparent. From the minerals. That provided clear signs of its formation or tory of Mars. NASA sent these two “robotic geologists” composition and texture of more than six different alteration in past water. on a 90-day mission to search for geological clues types of rock inspected, scientists determined that this regarding environmental conditions on early Mars, and A View to the Future area was once a hot, violent place with volcanic explo- assess whether those environments were conducive to sions and impacts. Extensive water in the form of hot Carrying on after its rewarding climb to the hilltop, life. The mission team chose two landing sites, Gusev springs or other water features left its mark on debris Spirit returned images of the southern vista from the Crater and Meridiani Planum, for the likelihood that throughout the area. One of the rock types contained top of Husband Hill. The team used these views to liquid water, a prerequisite for life, was once present the mineral goethite, which only forms in the presence plot Spirit’s next leg of travel. Mission planners and there. of water. Thus, finding it represented the first direct evi- scientists selected an alluring feature in the distance Each rover far outlasted its design lifetime. Spirit dence of past water in the Columbia Hills. that would bring a scientific bonanza, and come to be launched June 10, 2003, and landed in Gusev Cra- known as Home Plate. ter on January 4, 2004. Opportunity launched July 7, 2003, and landed in Meridiani Planum on January 25, 2004. Opportunity continues to operate in its tenth The Mars Exploration Rover mission is part of NASA’s Mars year. Spirit’s final communication to Earth occurred on Exploration Program, a long-term, multi-mission effort to un- March 22, 2010, about six years into its mission. The derstand Mars as a potential place for past or present life (its rover lasted 20 times longer than its original design. habitability), to seek signs of life, and to prepare for human exploration. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the Columbia Hills or Bust California Institute of Technology, manages the mission on be- When Spirit landed on a rock-strewn plain, faraway half of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. hills beckoned from about 1.6 miles (2.6 kilometers) Other NASA Center partners include Ames Research Center, away. Impossible to reach in the originally planned Langley Research Center, Glenn Research Center, and Ken- 90 sols (Martian days), Spirit trekked for six months nedy Space Center. Science payload partners include Cornell to reach them, becoming the first mountain-climbing University, Arizona State University, Max Planck Institut für robot on another planet. Spirit scaled the nearest of Chemie, Johannes Gutenberg University, Niels Bohr Institute, the seven Columbia Hills, named for each member of Honeybee Robotics, and the U.S. Geological Survey. the lost crew of Space Shuttle Columbia. Husband Hill, honoring Commander Rick Husband, stands 348 feet More Information (106 meters) higher than the site where Spirit landed marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov 20 months prior. The rover’s months-long trek through Investigations of the rock dubbed “Clovis” revealed the mineral different layers of hilly terrain richly rewarded us with goethite, pointing to a watery past in Gusev Crater. new discoveries, as each layer contained clues to past Weary Traveler Seeks Water environmental conditions on Mars. 1. Spirit looks past Cumberland Ridge Long after completing its primary 90-day mission, 1 Hot Springs and Violent Volcanoes toward the summit of Husband Hill. NASA’s Spirit rover began showing slight twinges of 2. Spirit’s view from the top of While volcanic rocks covered the plain Spirit crossed wear in its mobility system from its roving and hill- 2 Husband Hill. on its way to the hill, the ascent of Husband Hill climbing experience. As Spirit dug in its wheels as it Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell JPL 400-1548B 12/13 Spirit: Comanche Outcrop www.nasa.gov The Mars Exploration Rover Mission solve in acid, so their continued presence indicates Navigation Cameras that the neutral environment persisted.