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Opportunity: 10 Years on Mars - Science

January 23, 2014

Find out how the Mars Exploration Rover team traversed the Red Planet, examined the diverse environment and transformed our understanding of Mars.

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As NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity neared the ninth anniversary of its landing on Mars, the rover was working in the 'Matijevic Hill' area seen in this view from Opportunity's panoramic c...
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As NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity neared the ninth anniversary of its landing on Mars, the rover was working in the 'Matijevic Hill' area seen in this view from Opportunity's panoramic camera (Pancam).
'Matijevic Hill' Panorama for Rover's Ninth Anniversary (False Color)
This is the Opportunity "Erebus Rim" panorama, acquired on sols 652 to 663 (Nov. 23 to Dec. 5, 2005 ), as Opportunity was exploring sand dunes and outcrop rocks in Meridiani Planum.
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This is the Opportunity "Erebus Rim" panorama, acquired on sols 652 to 663 (Nov. 23 to Dec. 5, 2005 ), as Opportunity was exploring sand dunes and outcrop rocks in Meridiani Planum.
On the Rim of 'Erebus'
This enhanced-color view of ground sloping downward to the right in "Perseverance Valley" shows textures that may be due to abrasion by wind-driven sand. The Pancam on NASA's Mars rover Opportunity...
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Wind's Marks in "Perseverance Valley" (Enhanced Color)
Wind's Marks in "Perseverance Valley" (Enhanced Color)
This color view of a mineral vein called "Homestake" comes from the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity.
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This color view of a mineral vein called "Homestake" comes from the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity.
'Homestake' Vein in Color
The designated landing site for the second Mars Exploration Rover mission is Meridiani Planum, seen here in its geological context from NASA Viking images.
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The designated landing site for the second Mars Exploration Rover mission is Meridiani Planum, seen here in its geological context from NASA Viking images.
Opportunity's Landing Site: Meridiani-plain
The target beneath the tool turret at the end of the rover's robotic arm in this image from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is "Private John Potts." It lies high on the southern side of "...
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The target beneath the tool turret at the end of the rover's robotic arm in this image from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is "Private John Potts." It lies high on the southern side of "Marathon Valley," which slices through the western rim of Endeavour Crater.
Mars Rover Opportunity at Rock Abrasion Target 'Potts'
On March 20, 2004, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used a wheel to dig a trench revealing subsurface material beside the lander hardware that carried the rover to the surface of Mars 55 M...
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On March 20, 2004, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used a wheel to dig a trench revealing subsurface material beside the lander hardware that carried the rover to the surface of Mars 55 Martian days, or sols, earlier.
Lander Trench Dug by Opportunity
Engineers for NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Mission are completing assembly and testing for the twin robotic geologists at JPL.
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Engineers for NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Mission are completing assembly and testing for the twin robotic geologists at JPL.
Mars Exploration Rover 2
Taken on June 10, 2018 (the 5,111th Martian day, or sol, of the mission) this “noisy,” incomplete image was the last data NASA's Opportunity rover sent back from Perseverance Valley on Mars. 
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Taken on June 10, 2018 (the 5,111th Martian day, or sol, of the mission) this “noisy,” incomplete image was the last data NASA's Opportunity rover sent back from Mars.
Opportunity's Last Message
This mosaic image shows an extreme close-up of round, blueberry-shaped formations in the martian soil near a part of the rock outcrop at Meridiani Planum called Stone Mountain
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This mosaic image shows an extreme close-up of round, blueberry-shaped formations in the martian soil near a part of the rock outcrop at Meridiani Planum called Stone Mountain
'Berries' on the Ground
NASA's Curiosity finds crystals, Opportunity celebrates her 5,000th day on Mars and the MarCO smallsats get solar arrays.
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NASA's Curiosity finds crystals, Opportunity celebrates her 5,000th day on Mars and the MarCO smallsats get solar arrays.
Mars Report: February 2018
This enhanced-color view from within "Perseverance Valley," on the inner slope of the western rim of Mars' Endurance Crater, includes wheel tracks from the Opportunity rover's descent of the valley...
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View From Within 'Perseverance Valley' on Mars (Enhanced Color)
View From Within 'Perseverance Valley' on Mars (Enhanced Color)
Late on Feb. 12, 2019, mission controllers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, sent the last commands to ask NASA’s Opportunity rover on Mars to call home. 
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Late on Feb. 12, 2019, mission controllers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, sent the last commands to ask NASA’s Opportunity rover on Mars to call home.
Last Commands to Opportunity
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its navigation camera to capture the component images for this stereo, 360-degree panorama near the ridgeline of Endeavour Crater's western rim. The v...
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NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its navigation camera to capture the component images for this stereo, 360-degree panorama near the ridgeline of Endeavour Crater's western rim.
Approaching a Target Deposit on Mars Crater Rim (Stereo)
This image shows the rock dubbed "Humphrey" and the circular areas on the rock that were wiped off by the rover.
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This image shows the rock dubbed "Humphrey" and the circular areas on the rock that were wiped off by the rover.
Rock Dusting Leaves Drill Hole and 'Mickey Mouse' Mark
This full-circle, stereo panorama shows the terrain around the NASA Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity during the 3,105th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars (Oct. 18, 2012).
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This full-circle, stereo panorama shows the terrain around the NASA Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity during the 3,105th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars (Oct. 18, 2012).
Opportunity's Surroundings on Sol 3105, Stereo View
An artist's concept portrays a NASA Mars Exploration Rover on the surface of Mars.
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Artist's Concept of Mars Exploration Rover
Mars Exploration Rovers Artist's Concept
In the fourth season of “On a Mission” we’ll be transported to the Red Planet with all five of NASA’s Mars rovers.
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In the fourth season of “On a Mission” we’ll be transported to the Red Planet with all five of NASA’s Mars rovers.
Preview: Mars Rovers
Artist's concept of rover using the rock abrasion tool (RAT) on the robotic arm grinds away the rock's surface, allowing scientific instruments to analyze the rock's interior.
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Artist's concept of rover using the rock abrasion tool (RAT) on the robotic arm grinds away the rock's surface, allowing scientific instruments to analyze the rock's interior.
Mars Exploration Rovers: Analyzing with RAT
This artist's rendering depicts NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. The twin rovers were launched in 2003 and arrived on Mars in January 2004.
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This artist's rendering depicts NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. The twin rovers were launched in 2003 and arrived on Mars in January 2004.
Mars Exploration Rovers: Spirit & Opportunity - Artist's Concept
This two-image blink shows a comparison of two exposure times in images from the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity showing comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring as it f...
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This two-image blink shows a comparison of two exposure times in images from the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity showing comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring as it flew near Mars on Oct. 19, 2014.
Mars Rover Opportunity's View of Comet (Blink of Two Exposures)
The close camaraderie among scientists and engineers who worked on NASA’s Opportunity rover is evident in this image from Feb. 12, 2019, at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
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The close camaraderie among scientists and engineers who worked on NASA’s Opportunity rover is evident in this image from Feb. 12, 2019, at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
One Last Listen
This view of a rock called "Block Island," the largest meteorite yet found on Mars, comes from the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity.
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This view of a rock called "Block Island," the largest meteorite yet found on Mars, comes from the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity.
Mars Meteorite
This view from the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's panoramic camera is a false-color composite rendering of the first seven holes that the rover's rock abrasion tool dug on the inner slope of ...
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This view from the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's panoramic camera is a false-color composite rendering of the first seven holes that the rover's rock abrasion tool dug on the inner slope of "Endurance Crater."
False-Color View of a 'Rat' Hole Trail
This Sept. 21, 2016, scene from the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows "Spirit Mound" overlooking the floor of Endeavour Crater. The mound stands near the ...
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This Sept. 21, 2016, scene from the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows "Spirit Mound" overlooking the floor of Endeavour Crater. The mound stands near the eastern end of "Bitterroot Valley" on the western rim of the crater, and this view faces eastward.
'Spirit Mound' at Edge of Endeavour Crater, Mars

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