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The First Martian Marathon

May 19, 2015

On Earth, a fast runner takes a few hours to complete a marathon. On Mars, it's taken 11 years. NASA's Opportunity rover crossed that finish line in 2015.

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This synthetic image of the Spirit Mars Exploration Rover on the flank of "Husband Hill" was produced using "Virtual Presence in Space" technology.
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This synthetic image of the Spirit Mars Exploration Rover on the flank of "Husband Hill" was produced using "Virtual Presence in Space" technology.
Spirit on Flank of "Husband Hill"
Buzz Aldrin, an Apollo 11 astronaut who walked on the moon, makes a holographic appearance in 'Destination: Mars,' a mixed-reality tour of a part of Mars that NASA's Curiosity rover has explored.
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Buzz Aldrin, an Apollo 11 astronaut who walked on the moon, makes a holographic appearance in 'Destination: Mars,' a mixed-reality tour of a part of Mars that NASA's Curiosity rover has explored.
Buzz Aldrin
The rover launch site at Cape Canaveral, Florida is the "Lightning Capital of the United States." Launching a spacecraft safely is challenging enough. Learn how the Force of Nature intercepted the ...
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Challenges of Getting to Mars: Weather Dangers and Delays
Challenges of Getting to Mars: Weather Dangers and Delays
In February 2015, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is approaching a cumulative driving distance on Mars equal to the length of a marathon race. This map shows the rover's position relative...
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In February 2015, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is approaching a cumulative driving distance on Mars equal to the length of a marathon race. This map shows the rover's position relative to where it could surpass that distance.
Opportunity Rover Nears Mars Marathon Feat (Labeled)
This self-portrait of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity comes courtesy of the Sun and the rover's front hazard-avoidance camera.
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This self-portrait of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity comes courtesy of the Sun and the rover's front hazard-avoidance camera.
Opportunity Catches its Shadow
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, working on Mars since January 2004, passed 25 miles of total driving on the July 27, 2014. The gold line on this map shows Opportunity's route from the la...
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NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, working on Mars since January 2004, passed 25 miles of total driving on the July 27, 2014. The gold line on this map shows Opportunity's route from the landing site inside Eagle Crater, in upper left, to its location after the July 27 (Sol 3735) drive.
Opportunity's Journey Exceeds 25 Miles
This series of images shows simulated views of a darkening Martian sky blotting out the Sun from NASA’s Opportunity rover’s point of view, with the right side simulating Opportunity’s current view ...
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This series of images shows simulated views of a darkening Martian sky blotting out the Sun from NASA’s Opportunity rover’s point of view, with the right side simulating Opportunity’s current view in the global dust storm (June 2018).
Shades of Martian Darkness
This false-color image shows a close-up look at the rock dubbed "Humphrey."
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This false-color image shows a close-up look at the rock dubbed "Humphrey."
Humphrey on the Inside
Near the lower left corner of this view is the three-petal lander platform that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit drove off in January 2004.
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Near the lower left corner of this view is the three-petal lander platform that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit drove off in January 2004.
Spirit Lander and Bonneville Crater in Color
As NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity creeps farther into "Endurance Crater," the dune field on the crater floor appears even more dramatic
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As NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity creeps farther into "Endurance Crater," the dune field on the crater floor appears even more dramatic
Endurance Crater's Dazzling Dunes
The cruise stage provides power, communication and propulsion for the rover and lander within its cocoon made up of the heatshield and backshell for the cruise to Mars.
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The cruise stage provides power, communication and propulsion for the rover and lander within its cocoon made up of the heatshield and backshell for the cruise to Mars.
Mars Exploration Rovers: Rover 1 in cruise stage
This stereo scene from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows "Spirit Mound" overlooking the floor of Endeavour Crater. The view appears three-dimensional when seen through blue-red glasse...
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This stereo scene from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows "Spirit Mound" overlooking the floor of Endeavour Crater. The view appears three-dimensional when seen through blue-red glasses with the red lens on the left.
'Spirit Mound' at Edge of Endeavour Crater, Mars (Stereo)
Faire atterrir une sonde sur Mars est l’une des choses les plus complexes à réaliser. Cette vidéo de 60 secondes explique comment cela est possible, et illustre les trois systèmes d'atterrissage ut...
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Faire atterrir une sonde sur Mars est l’une des choses les plus complexes à réaliser. Cette vi-déo de 60 secondes explique comment cela est possible, et illustre les trois systèmes d'atterris-sage utilisés sur la planète rouge.
Mars in a Minute: (French) Comment atterrir sur Mars?
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has been working on Mars since landing inside Eagle Crater on Jan. 25, 2004 (Universal Time; evening of Jan. 24, Pacific Standard Time).
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NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has been working on Mars since landing inside Eagle Crater on Jan. 25, 2004 (Universal Time; evening of Jan. 24, Pacific Standard Time).
Opportunity's Journey, Approaching 10th Anniversary
The Perseverance rover holds many promises: to look for evidence of life on Mars, to collect rock samples meant to be sent to Earth one day, and to test technology that could be used in a future hu...
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The Perseverance rover holds many promises: to look for evidence of life on Mars, to collect rock samples meant to be sent to Earth one day, and to test technology that could be used in a future human Mars mission.
The Promise of Perseverance
NASA discussed the status of its Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Opportunity in a media briefing at 11 a.m. PST (2 p.m. EST) Wednesday, Feb. 13, from the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pa...
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NASA discussed the status of its Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Opportunity in a media briefing at 11 a.m. PST (2 p.m. EST) Wednesday, Feb. 13, from the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.
NASA Shares Results of Effort to Recover Mars Rover
This mosaic was stitched together using images from the Navigation Camera, or Navcam, on NASA's Opportunity rover. The scene shows the rover's tracks made in Perseverance Valley between Sols 5,000 ...
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This mosaic shows Opportunity's tracks made in Perseverance Valley.
Opportunity's Tracks in Perseverance Valley
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity obtained this view from the top of the "Cape Tribulation" segment of the rim of Endeavour Crater. The rover reached this point three weeks before the 11th ...
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NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity obtained this view from the top of the "Cape Tribulation" segment of the rim of Endeavour Crater. The rover reached this point three weeks before the 11th anniversary of its January 2004 landing on Mars.
High Martian Viewpoint for 11-Year-Old Rover (False-Color Landscape)
This stereo view from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows "Lunokhod 2 Crater," which lies south of "Solander Point" on the west rim of Endeavour Crater. Lunokhod 2 Crater is approximate...
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This stereo view from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows "Lunokhod 2 Crater."
'Lunokhod 2' Crater on Mars (Stereo)
This stereo view from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows contrasting textures and tones of "Hinners Point," at the northern edge of "Marathon Valley," and brighter outcrop on the valle...
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This stereo view from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows contrasting textures and tones of "Hinners Point," at the northern edge of "Marathon Valley," and brighter outcrop on the valley floor to the left.
'Hinners Point' Above Floor of 'Marathon Valley' on Mars (Stereo)
This color image taken by the panoramic camera onboard the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the part of the rock outcrop dubbed Stone Mountain at Meridiani Planum, Mars.
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This color image taken by the panoramic camera onboard the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the part of the rock outcrop dubbed Stone Mountain at Meridiani Planum, Mars.
Stone Mountain
This full-circle panorama shows the terrain around the NASA Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity during the 3,071st Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars (Sept. 13, 2012).
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This full-circle panorama shows the terrain around the NASA Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity during the 3,071st Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars (Sept. 13, 2012).
Opportunity's Surroundings on Sol 3071, on 'Whitewater Lake' Outcrop
This section from a panorama that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired in October 2005 from the top of "Husband Hill" presents the view toward the south from that summit.
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This section from a panorama that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired in October 2005 from the top of "Husband Hill" presents the view toward the south from that summit.
NASA's Mars Rover Spirit's View Southward from Husband Hill
The aeroshell for Mars Exploration Rover 2 rests on end after rotation in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility.
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The aeroshell for Mars Exploration Rover 2 rests on end after rotation in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility.
Mars Exploration Rover: Bottom of aeroshell
Donc, vous voulez étudier Mars avec un atterrisseur ou un rover, mais où l’envoyer exactement? Apprenez comment les scientifiques et ingénieurs abordent cette question dans cette vidéo de 60 second...
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Donc, vous voulez étudier Mars avec un atterrisseur ou un rover, mais où l’envoyer exactement?
Mars in a Minute: (French) Comment choisir un site d'atterrissage?

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