- 07.07.03: Launch (23:18:15 EDT)
- 01.24.04: Mars Landing (9:05 PM PST)
- Status: Extended Mission on Mars
On the surface, the rover moves at a top speed of 5 cm (2 inches) per second.
Opportunity's panoramic camera will reveal Mars at about the same height as an adult person.
Both rovers carry a unique camera calibration target in the shape of a sundial.
Opportunity was launched on a heavy Delta II 7925H on 8 July 2003 at 03:18:15 UT (July 7, 11:18:15 p.m. EDT). After insertion into a circular Earth parking orbit, the spacecraft third stage reignited and put the craft on a trajectory to Mars, after which the aeroshell, lander, and rover separated from the third stage. The cruise phase to Mars ends on 11 December 2003, 45 days before Mars entry. The approach phase lasted from this date until martian atmospheric entry on 25 January 2004. On entry the lander and components had a mass of 827 kg and were travelling at 19,300 km/hr. The aeroshell decelerated the lander in the upper martian atmosphere for about four minutes to a velocity of 1600 km/hr, followed by deployment of a parachute. The parachute slowed the spacecraft to about 300 km/hr. A series of tones transmitted by the spacecraft during entry and after landing indicated the successful completion of each phase. Just prior to impact, at an altitude of about 100 m, retrorockets slowed the descent and airbags inflated to cushion the impact. The craft hit at roughly 50 km/hr and bounced and rolled along the surface, stopping in a small crater. The airbags deflated and retracted, the petals opened, and the rover deployed its solar arrays. The landing took place at 5:05 UT (Earth received time), 12:05 a.m. EST or approximately 1:15 p.m. local time, about two and a half hours before Earth set at Terra Meridiani. On Mars it was the latter half of southern summer. The landing ellipse is centered at 2.07 S, 6.08 W and is roughly 119 by 17 km oriented at 88 degrees. Terra Meridiani is also known as the "Hematite Site" because it displays evidence of coarse-grained hematite, an iron-rich mineral which typically forms in water. It also appears to be one of the smoothest and therefore safest areas for a landing.
An egress phase took place over the first 4 days, involving deployment of the Pancam mast and high gain antenna, rover stand up, imaging and calibration, selection of proper egress path, and finally driving of the rover off the lander deck onto the martian surface. Over a year of surface operations, involving driving the rover, imaging, and use of the science instruments has already been achieved, and the rovers have had their missions extended.