NASA Mars Rovers
Articles Index - page 2
Curious Landscape in Meridiani Planum, Mars
Curious Landscape in Meridiani Planum, Mars. This "postcard" from the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the view of the martian landscape southwest of the rover. The image was taken in the late martian afternoon at Meridiani Planum on Mars, where Opportunity landed at approximately 9:05 p.m. PST on Saturday, Jan. 24.
First Images Of Opportunity Site Show Bizarre Landscape
First Images Of Opportunity Site Show Bizarre Landscape. NASA's Opportunity rover returned the first pictures of its landing site early today, revealing a surreal, dark landscape unlike any ever seen before on Mars.
NASA Hears From Opportunity Rover On Mars
NASA Hears From Opportunity Rover On Mars. NASA's second Mars Exploration Rover successfully sent signals to Earth during its bouncy landing and after it came to rest on one of the three side petals of its four-sided lander.
Opportunity Lands on the Surface of Mars
Opportunity Lands on the Surface of Mars - Searching for Hematite. Spirit's twin, the second NASA Mars rover, landed safely on the Red Planet at approximately 12:05AM EST this morning. Landing on the opposite side of the planet from its twin, Opportunity was programmed to land in an area called the Meridiani Planum. This landing site was not only the highest altitude landing ever attempted bt NASA on Mars, it was also a more difficult location than Spirit's landing site.
Spirit Condition Upgraded As Twin Rover Nears Mars
Spirit Condition Upgraded As Twin Rover Nears Mars. Hours before NASA's Opportunity rover will reach Mars, engineers
have found a way to communicate reliably with its twin, Spirit, and
to get Spirit's computer out of a cycle of rebooting many times a
day.
It's Alive!
It's Alive! - Mars Exploration Rover Updated Mission Status. The flight team for NASA's Spirit received data from the rover in a communication session that began at 13:26 Universal Time (5:26 a.m. PST) and lasted 20 minutes at a data rate of 120 bits per second.
Spirit Not Talking
Mars Exploration Rover Mission Status - Spirit Not Talking. Ground controllers were able to send commands to the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit early Wednesday and received a simple signal acknowledging that the rover heard them, but they did not receive expected scientific and engineering data during scheduled communication passes during the rest of that martian day.
Spirit Reaches for Closer Look
This image taken by the front hazard-identification camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, shows the rover's robotic arm, or instrument deployment device. The arm was deployed from its stowed position beneath the "front porch" of the rover body early Friday morning. Spirit Reaches for Closer Look.
Spirit Ready To Drive Onto Mars Surface
NASA's Spirit completed a three-stage turn early today, the last
step before a drive planned early Thursday to take the rover off its
lander platform and onto martian soil for the first time. Spirit Ready To Drive Onto Mars Surface.
Map of Hills on the Horizon
This overhead view maps the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's approximate location in relation to nearby craters and hills. By combining images from both the camera on Mars Global Surveyor and the descent image motion estimation system camera located on the bottom of the rover's lander, scientists and engineers can tell how far away the hills are from the rover. This information would be more difficult to obtain from the panoramic images. Map of Hills on the Horizon.
Hills Over Yonder
The arrows in this 360-degree panoramic view of the martian surface identify hills and craters on the martian horizon that scientists can easily find with orbiters Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Odyssey. The image was taken on Mars by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit. Hills Over Yonder.
Spirit's Surroundings Beckon in Color Panorama
The first 360-degree color view from NASA's Spirit Mars Exploration Rover presents a range of tempting targets from nearby rocks to hills on the horizon. Spirit's Surroundings Beckon in Color Panorama.
Martian Landscape in 3-D
This 3-D stereo image taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's navigation camera shows the rover's lander and, in the background, the surrounding martian terrain. Martian Landscape in 3-D.
Martian Surface at an Angle
This latest color "postcard from Mars," taken on Sol 5 by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, looks to the north. The apparent slope of the horizon is due to the several-degree tilt of the lander deck. On the left, the circular topographic feature dubbed Sleepy Hollow can be seen along with dark markings that may be surface disturbances caused by the airbag-encased lander as it bounced and rolled to rest. Martian Surface at an Angle.
Spirit Columbia Memorial
NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe announced on January 6, 2004 plans to name the landing site of the Mars Spirit Rover in honor of the astronauts who died in the tragic accident of the Space Shuttle Columbia in February. The area in the vast flatland of the Gusev Crater where Spirit landed this weekend will be called the Columbia Memorial Station. Spirit Columbia Memorial
Color Pictures from Spirit are Most Detailed View of Mars Ever Seen - Images
As the spacecraft flies, Mars is millions of miles away. Thanks to the Internet, NASA can bring it into your living room, to a local Internet cafe, or anywhere else with access to the World Wide Web. Color Pictures from Spirit are Most Detailed View of Mars Ever Seen. Check out these images.
Martian Horizon
This is a portion of the first color image captured by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit. Martian Horizon.
Airbag Deflates on Mars
This image, taken by the navigation camera onboard the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, shows the airbags used to protect the rover during landing. One bright, dust-covered bag is slightly puffed up against the lander. Airbag Deflates on Mars.
Spirit's Airbags Leave Trail
This image shows marks in the martian soil (upper right) made by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's airbags during their final deflation and retraction. The picture was taken by the panoramic camera on the rover. Spirit's Airbags Leave Trail.
Wind-polished rocks
The smooth surfaces of angular and rounded rocks seen in this image of the martian terrain may have been polished by wind-blown debris. The picture was taken by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit. Wind-polished rocks.
Windtails Show Direction of Martian Winds
This image highlights streaks or tails of loose debris in the martian soil, which reveal the direction of prevailing winds. The picture was taken by the panoramic camera on Mars Exploration Rover Spirit. Windtails Show Direction of Martian Winds.
First Color Image from Spirit
This is the first color image of Mars taken by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit. It is the highest resolution image ever taken on the surface of another planet. First Color Image from Spirit.
Healthy Rover Shows Its New Neighborhood on Mars
NASA's Spirit Rover is starting to examine its new surroundings, revealing a vast flatland well suited to the robot's unprecedented mobility and scientific toolkit. Healthy Rover Shows Its New Neighborhood on Mars.
Spirit's Descent to Mars-1985m
The image ate the right was taken by the descent image motion estimation system camera located on the bottom of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's lander, shows a view of Gusev Crater as the lander descends to Mars. The picture is taken at an altitude of 1985 meters. Numerous small impact craters can be seen on the surface of the planet. Spirit's Descent to Mars-1985m.
Spirit's Descent to Mars-1690m
The image at the right was taken by the descent image motion estimation system camera located on the bottom of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's lander, shows a view of Gusev Crater as the lander descends to Mars. The picture is taken at an altitude of 1690 meters. Numerous small impact craters can be seen on the surface of the planet. Spirit's Descent to Mars-1690m.