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Challenges of Getting to Mars: Two Launches: Spirit and Opportunity

May 24, 2002

The first episode documents the hurdles leading up to both launches. From Mother Nature being uncooperative to a problem with the cork insulation on the rocket, lift-off was no small feat. Ultimately the rover team rejoiced as their twins left the nest and headed for Mars.

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While driving eastward toward the northwestern flank of "McCool Hill," Spirit's wheels churned up the largest amount of bright soil discovered so far in the mission.
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While driving eastward toward the northwestern flank of "McCool Hill," Spirit's wheels churned up the largest amount of bright soil discovered so far in the mission.
Bright Soil Near 'McCool'
This image shows the Spirit rover's landing site, the Columbia Memorial Station, at Gusev Crater, Mars.
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This image shows the Spirit rover's landing site, the Columbia Memorial Station, at Gusev Crater, Mars.
Empty Nest
This image is a cropped version of the last 360-degree panorama taken by the Opportunity rover's Panoramic Camera (Pancam) from May 13 through June 10, 2018. The view is presented in false color to...
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This image is a cropped version of the last 360-degree panorama taken by the Opportunity rover's Panoramic Camera (Pancam) from May 13 through June 10, 2018. The view is presented in false color to make some differences between materials easier to see.
Opportunity Legacy Pan
In this selfie, Spirit shows her solar panels gleaming in the Martian sunlight and carrying only a thin veneer of dust two years after the rover landed and began exploring the red planet.
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In this selfie, Spirit shows her solar panels gleaming in the Martian sunlight and carrying only a thin veneer of dust two years after the rover landed and began exploring the red planet.
Still Shining After All This Time (Vertical)
This synthetic image recreates what Opportunity might look like in Endurance Crater. Produced using "Virtual Presence in Space" technology at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, it combines visualiza...
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This synthetic image recreates what Opportunity might look like in Endurance Crater.
Opportunity Inside 'Endurance Crater'
This blink comparison aids evaluation of a drive by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit during the rover's 2,099th Martian day, or sol (Nov. 28, 2009).
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This blink comparison aids evaluation of a drive by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit during the rover's 2,099th Martian day, or sol (Nov. 28, 2009).
Little Movement in Spirit's Sol 2099 Drive
This map show a portion of Endeavour Crater's western rim that includes the "Marathon Valley" area investigated intensively by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity in 2015 and 2016, and a flu...
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This map show a portion of Endeavour Crater's western rim that includes the "Marathon Valley" area investigated intensively by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity in 2015 and 2016, and a fluid-carved gully that is a destination to the south for the mission.
From 'Marathon Valley' to Gully on Endeavour Rim
The color image on the left was 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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The color image on the left was 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 image from the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's panoramic camera is an approximate true-color rendering of the exceptional rock called "Berry Bowl" in the "Eagle Crater" outcrop.
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This image from the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's panoramic camera is an approximate true-color rendering of the exceptional rock called "Berry Bowl" in the "Eagle Crater" outcrop.
Discovery Served Up in a Bowl
Steve Squyres, principal investigator for NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover mission, and Matt Golombek, the mission’s project scientist, discussed the ground-breaking science returned by the mission’s ...
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Steve Squyres, principal investigator for NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover mission, and Matt Golombek, the mission’s project scientist, discussed the ground-breaking science returned by the mission’s twin rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, on Feb. 13, 2019.
A Celebration of Science from Spirit and Opportunity
NASA's InSight arrives at Vandenberg AFB and readies for launch, Opportunity uses its abrasion tool for the first time in 300 sols, and Curiosity celebrates 2,000 Martian days on the Red Planet.
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NASA's InSight arrives at Vandenberg AFB and readies for launch, Opportunity uses its abrasion tool for the first time in 300 sols, and Curiosity celebrates 2,000 Martian days on the Red Planet.
Mars Report: March 2018
NASA's Mars rovers keep getting bigger. This photo provides a comparison of the wheel sizes for three generations of them.
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NASA's Mars rovers keep getting bigger. This photo provides a comparison of the wheel sizes for three generations of them.
Rover Wheel Sizes (Isometric)
NASA's twin robot geologists, the Mars Exploration Rovers, will launch toward Mars in 2003 in search of answers about the history of water on Mars.
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NASA's twin robot geologists, the Mars Exploration Rovers, will launch toward Mars in 2003 in search of answers about the history of water on Mars.
Mars Exploration Rovers Artist's Concept 2
Textured rows on the ground in this portion of "Perseverance Valley" are under investigation by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, which used its Navigation Camera to take the component ima...
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rocky slope
Rock Stripes Pattern in Mars' 'Perseverance Valley'
Details of the Meridiani Planum designated landing site are added with topographic information and higher-resolution imaging from instruments on the Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Odyssey orbiters.
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Details of the Meridiani Planum designated landing site are added with topographic information and higher-resolution imaging from instruments on the Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Odyssey orbiters.
Opportunity's Landing Site: Meridiani-overlays
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)
NASA's twin robot geologists, the Mars Exploration Rovers, will launch toward Mars in 2003 in search of answers about the history of water on Mars. The rovers will be targeted to sites that appear ...
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MER rover
MER Rover Artist Concept
Researchers used NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity to find a water-related mineral on the ground that had been detected from orbit, and found it in the dark veneer of rocks on the rim of En...
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Researchers used NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity to find a water-related mineral on the ground that had been detected from orbit, and found it in the dark veneer of rocks on the rim of Endeavour Crater.
Mineral Detected from Orbit Found in Dark Veneers (Unannotated)
From its perch high on a ridge, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity recorded this image of a Martian dust devil twisting through the valley below.
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From its perch high on a ridge, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity recorded this image of a Martian dust devil twisting through the valley below.
Opportunity's Devilish View from on High
This chart illustrates comparisons among the distances driven by various wheeled vehicles on the surface of Earth's moon and Mars.  
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This chart illustrates comparisons among the distances driven by various wheeled vehicles on the surface of Earth's moon and Mars.
Driving Distances on Mars and the Moon
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its navigation camera to capture the component images for this 360-degree view near the ridgeline of Endeavour Crater's western rim.
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NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its navigation camera on May 10, 2014, to capture this 360-degree view near the ridgeline of Endeavour Crater's western rim. The center is southeastward. Rocks on the slope to the right of center are in an outcrop area targeted for the rover to study.
Approaching a Target Deposit on Mars Crater Rim
During four months prior to the fourth anniversary of its landing on Mars, Opportunity examined rocks inside an alcove called "Duck Bay" in the western portion of Victoria Crater.
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During four months prior to the fourth anniversary of its landing on Mars, Opportunity examined rocks inside an alcove called "Duck Bay" in the western portion of Victoria Crater.
'Lyell' Panorama inside Victoria Crater
During a team meeting for NASA’s Opportunity rover, Ben Cark of the Space Science Institute talks about his experiences working on NASA’s longest-lived Mars surface explorer. 
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During a team meeting for NASA’s Opportunity rover, Ben Cark of the Space Science Institute talks about his experiences working on NASA’s longest-lived Mars surface explorer.
A Lifetime of Rover Stories
Dr. Ed Weiler, associate administrator, Office of Space Science, NASA Headquarters and Mars Exploration Program manager, Dr. Firouz Naderi (right) are delighted with the news of Opportunity's safe...
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Dr. Ed Weiler, associate administrator, Office of Space Science, NASA Headquarters and Mars Exploration Program manager, Dr. Firouz Naderi (right) are delighted with the news of Opportunity's safe entry, descent and landing on Mars.
Opportunity: Landing
The boulder-studded ridge in this scene recorded by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is "McClure-Beverlin Escarpment," informally named for Jack Beverlin and Bill McClure, engineers who on...
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The boulder-studded ridge in this scene recorded by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is "McClure-Beverlin Escarpment," informally named for Jack Beverlin and Bill McClure, engineers who on Feb. 14, 1969, risked their lives to save NASA's second successful Mars mission, Mariner 6, on its launch pad.
Opportunity's Southward View of 'McClure-Beverlin Escarpment' on Mars (False Color)

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