Spirit and Opportunity Rovers NASA’s Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity landed on Mars at locations about 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers) apart in early 2004. The rovers far outlasted their planned 3-month missions. Spirit operated for more than 6 years and covered a record-setting distance for a rover on another world.
Opportunity surpassed that record and kept roving for more than 14 years, despite incredibly harsh conditions on Mars. Both rovers made important discoveries about Mars, including proof that water once flowed on the planet’s surface. Spirit’s scientific discoveries began less than a week after landing, when it discovered evidence that Mars had been wet in the past. Spirit continued to make groundbreaking discoveries over the next several years, including the first direct evidence of a mineral called hematite, which on Earth is an indicator of water.
Opportunity’s discoveries began about two weeks after landing, when it discovered evidence of an ancient Martian meteorite impact. The rover went on to make many more discoveries, including finding minerals that can only form in the presence of water. In 2010, Spirit became stuck in a patch of soft sand and was unable to free itself. The rover’s last communication with Earth was in March 2010. Opportunity outlived its twin by more than 8 years. The rover made its last communication with Earth on June 10, 2018, when a massive dust storm enveloped Mars and prevented sunlight from reaching the solar panels on the rover, causing it to shut down.
IntroductionÂ
In 2004, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, announced that the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission had discovered evidence that ancient Mars had once been wet and hospitable to life. This was a stunning finding, as it suggested that the planet most like Earth in our solar system may have once hosted life forms.
The MER mission was launched in 2003 to search for evidence of past water activity on Mars. The mission comprised of two indistinguishable meanderers, Soul and Opportunity. Spirit landed on Mars in January 2004, and Opportunity landed in February 2004. The rovers were designed to last for 90 Martian days (sol), or about three months. However, both rovers far exceeded their expected lifetimes. Spirit operated for more than six years and travelled a total of 7.5 miles (12 kilometers).
Opportunity also lasted more than six years, travelled more than 25 miles (40 kilometers), and set several distance records for rovers on Mars. The two rovers made some of the most important discoveries in the history of Mars exploration. They found evidence that Mars was once wet and hospitable to life. They also found that Mars has a complex geological history. Spirit and Opportunity were more than just rovers. They were also ambassadors for Mars exploration. They captured the public’s imagination and inspired a new generation of Mars explorers.
The MissionsÂ
In 2004, twin robot rovers named Spirit and Opportunity land on Mars. They were design to search for evidence of past water activity on the Martian surface, and to collect data about the planet’s climate and geology. The two rovers far exceed their expect lifetimes of 90 Martian days (sol), with Spirit operating for over 6 years and Opportunity continuing to return data for over 15 years. Together, they return a wealth of information about Mars that has help scientists better understand the planet’s history and potential for habitability.
The Spirit and Opportunity rovers were part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission. The MER mission was design to search for evidence of past water activity on Mars, and to collect data about the planet’s climate and geology. The rovers were equip with a suite of scientific instruments, including cameras, spectrometers, and a rock abrasion tool (RAT). They also had the ability to climb over obstacles up to 1 meter (3.3 feet) high, and to travel up to 100 meters (328 feet) per day. The Spirit and Opportunity rovers land on Mars in 2004 at sites that were chosen because they show evidence of past water activity. After landing, the rovers drove to their respective destinations and began exploring. During their missions, the rovers made several important discoveries about Mars.
For example, they found evidence that Mars was once a wetter and warmer planet than it is today. They also found that Mars has a complex geological history, with different types of rocks that formed at different times in the planet’s history. In 2010, Spirit stopped communicating with NASA, and the rover was declared dead. However, Opportunity continue to return data until 2018, when a dust storm on Mars damage the rover’s solar panels and prevent it from communicating with Earth. The Spirit and Opportunity rovers have provide a wealth of information about Mars that has help scientists better understand the planet’s history and potential for habitability. The rovers also show that Mars is a dynamic planet that is constantly changing.
Spirit and Opportunity Rovers The ResultsÂ
On January 3, 2004, the twin rovers Spirit and Opportunity land on Mars at locations about 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) apart. They were design to last 90 Martian days (sols) and to travel about 1 kilometer (0.6 mile).
But both rovers far exceed their life expectancy, with Opportunity outlasting its twin by more than 60%. The two rovers were remarkably similar, but there were some key differences. For example, Opportunity was equip with a panoramic camera (PANCAM) while Spirit had a mini-thermal emission spectrometer (Mini-TES). Both rovers had a rock abrasion tool (RAT) for grinding into rocks to study their composition, but Opportunity’s RAT was more than twice as powerful as Spirit’s.
Despite their different equipment, both rovers were highly successful in their missions. They both found evidence of past water activity on Mars, and Opportunity even discover a type of rock that had never been seen before. The rovers also took stunning images of the Martian landscape, providing scientists with a new perspective on the Red Planet. After more than 15 years of exploration, both rovers finally reach the end of their lifetimes. Spirit stop communicating with Earth in 2010, and Opportunity went silent in 2018. But the legacies of these two intrepid explorers will live on for years to come.
Conclusion
As of Sol 2417 (September 11, 2018), the Opportunity rover has been active for 5,085 Martian days (5.24 years) since landing on Mars on January 25, 2004. The rover has travel 45.16 kilometers (28.06 miles). Opportunity’s twin, Spirit, land on Mars three weeks earlier, on January 4, 2004. As of Sol 2210 (March 22, 2010), Spirit had been active for 2,210 Martian days (2.29 years) and had travel 7.73 kilometers (4.8 miles). On May 25, 2009, Opportunity reach the Martian Victoria crater, after a journey of over two years. The rover’s initial mission was only slate to last for three months, but Opportunity has vastly exceed all expectations.
In April of 2010, however, Spirit became stuck in a patch of soft sand. And despite the best efforts of NASA engineers, the rover was unable to free itself. On May 25, 2011, after more than a year of inactivity, Spirit was officially declare dead. Opportunity, on the other hand, continues to chug along. The rover made a major discovery in 2011 when it found evidence. That Mars was once a much wetter planet than it is today. As Opportunity continues to explore the Martian surface, it serves as a reminder of the enduring spirit of exploration. Despite the challenges, both spirit and opportunity rovers have inspire us to keep reaching for the stars.