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Mars
Exploration Rover Mission
Opportunity...
Update:
On February 5, 2004, Opportunity drove a few meters! It headed
toward the rock outcrop that very much interests scientist
in their search for signs of liquid water. The first drive
after egress executed perfectly, and it will soon drive two
more meters toward the nearest rock.
Opportunity
reached the ground around 9:05 pm PST on Saturday, January
24, 2004. Check
out all
of the raw images taken by Opportunity so far. Opportunity
landed in a 20 meter diameter crater after bouncing around
on the surface during the successful EDL (known as Entry,
Descent, and Landing).
Spirit...
Update:
33 Sol. All of the communication problems, which were a result
of a software bug, have been fixed, and on February 5th, Spirit
was poised to drill into Adirondack!
NASA
began to experience what seemed to be very dire communication
problems with Spirit on January 22. However, after the incredible
efforts of the Mars rover team, the problem has been diagnosed
and the rover should be able to continue its scientific mission
soon.
Where's
the water?
Looking for Signs of Past Water on Mars
All
Images from the Spirit mission
Nasa
TV Schedule
Spirit
- Surface
Operations
Exploring
the surface
(Large download, 10 MB Movie)
Mars
for Kids!
Get
the Mars Clock!
The
NASA Deep Space Network
- or DSN - is an international network of antennas that supports
interplanetary spacecraft missions and radio and radar astronomy
observations for the exploration of the solar system and the
universe. This is VERY IMPORTANT for the NASA rover missions.
Astronomy
Picture of the Day Current
Picture
of the Day Archive
If
you haven't tried it, download our 3D
Mars Spirit Rover Simulator (only 1.2 MB download).
This program requires a PC with a 3D accelerator card (most
newer computers will be easily equipped to handle the program).
Click on the link and then hit "Open". The simulator
will install on your computer! Check
out version notes here. Note: This software
and this website have no affiliation to NASA or JPL.
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Spirit's
first drive! Soon it will reach the rocks shown below.
An unreal
rock outcrop in Opportunity's landing location will give scientists
an amazing opportunity to look at potential sedimentary striations
that could be indicative of free standing and free flowing
water during some time in the past! Those rocks may also have
resulted from other physical activities, but the answer should
be clear once Opportunity is able to roll up to them and take
a close peek with its sensors.
Here is
a view of Mars we have never befor seen! Taken by Opportunity
during its first few Sols.
The very
first Opportunity panorama, which is a composite of MANY images
the rover sent.
Here's
the first picture Spirit sent to Earth as engineerscontinue
to try to resolve file
management overflow bugs.
Top down
view of Spirit.
Spirit's
first view of its new home.
NASA's
Spirit rover left its nest!
(All
images courtesy NASA/JPL)
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