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Mars Exploration Rovers: Descent Artwork

With the parachute deployed, three retrorockets fire their engines, suspending the lander 30 - 50 feet above the Martian surface.

October 01, 2002

With the parachute deployed, three retrorockets fire their engines, suspending the lander 30 - 50 feet above the Martian surface.

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NASA

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This 360-degree stereo anaglyph of the terrain surrounding NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity was taken on the rover's 171st sol on Mars (July 17, 2004).
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This 360-degree stereo anaglyph of the terrain surrounding NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity.
'Endurance' All Around (3-D)
6th Year Anniversary Graphic
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6th Year Anniversary Graphic
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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...
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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)
Members of the Mars Exploration Rover Mission's Entry, Descent and Landing team rejoice at the news that mission control received its first signal from Spirit, indicating the rove...
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Members of the Mars Exploration Rover Mission's Entry, Descent and Landing team rejoice at the news that mission control received its first signal from Spirit, indicating the rover's safe arrival at Gusev Crater on Mars.
Spirit: Landing
Gazing across the landscape of the "Columbia Hills" in Gusev Crater on Mars, scientists saw hints of tilted rock layers across the area traversed by the Spirit rover.
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Gazing across the landscape of the "Columbia Hills" in Gusev Crater on Mars, scientists saw hints of tilted rock layers across the area traversed by the Spirit rover.
Contemplating Rock Layers
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
At a rock called "Clovis," the rock abrasion tool on Spirit cut a 9-millimeter (0.35-inch) hole. To the right of the drill hole is a "brush flower" of circles produced by scrubbing the surface of...
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At a rock called "Clovis," the rock abrasion tool on Spirit cut a 9-millimeter (0.35-inch) hole. To the right of the drill hole is a "brush flower" of circles produced by scrubbing the surface of the rock with the abrasion tool's wire brush.
Deep Hole in 'Clovis'
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
Researchers used the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity to capture this view of comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring as it passed near Mars on Oct. 19, 2014.
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Researchers used the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity to capture this view of comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring as it passed near Mars on Oct. 19, 2014.
Mars Rover Opportunity's View of Passing Comet
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit captured this westward view from atop a low plateau where Sprit spent the closing months of 2007.
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NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit captured this westward view from atop a low plateau where Sprit spent the closing months of 2007.
Spirit's West Valley Panorama (False Color)
Suspended by an overhead crane in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) aeroshell is guided by workers as it moves to a rotation stand.
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Suspended by an overhead crane in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) aeroshell is guided by workers as it moves to a rotation stand.
Mars Exploration Rover: Closed aeroshell
See how Mars Exploration Rover team members take on the demands of driving a rover millions of miles away from Earth.
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Opportunity: 10 Years on Mars - Operating a Rover
Opportunity: 10 Years on Mars - Operating a Rover
Download a PDF of the Mars as Art Booklet.
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Mars as Art
Mars as Art (2013)
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity captured this view after beginning to ascend the northwestern slope of "Solander Point" on the western rim of Endeavour Crater.
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NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity captured this view after beginning to ascend the northwestern slope of "Solander Point" on the western rim of Endeavour Crater.
Mars Hill-Climbing Opportunity at 'Solander Point,' Right Eye
This 360-degree stereo anaglyph of the terrain surrounding NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit on the 147th martian day of the rover's mission inside Gusev Crater, on June 1, 2004, was assembled f...
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This 360-degree stereo anaglyph of the terrain surrounding NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit
Spirit's View on Sol 147 (3-D)
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'
This view taken by Spirit show's the "Columbia Hills" up ahead.
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This view taken by Spirit show's the "Columbia Hills" up ahead.
Heading for the Hills
This infographic highlights NASA’s twin robot geologists, the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) Spirit and Opportunity.  The rovers landed on the Red Planet in 2004, in search of answers about the hist...
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Spirit And Opportunity By The Numbers
Spirit And Opportunity By The Numbers
This panoramic image, dubbed "Rub al Khali," was taken by Opportunity on the plains of Meridiani during the rover's 456th to 464th sols on Mars.
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This panoramic image, dubbed "Rub al Khali," was taken by Opportunity on the plains of Meridiani during the rover's 456th to 464th sols on Mars.
Opportunity's 'Rub al Khali' Panorama
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
This image shows the location of the rover-containing section of new color image in relation to Solander Point.
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This image shows the location of the rover-containing section of new color image in relation to Solander Point.
Location of Opportunity at Solander Point
This stereo view was taken by the panoramic camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit on the rover's 87th martian day, or sol (April 1, 2004), just after Spirit left "Bonneville Crater." It sh...
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This stereo view was taken by the panoramic camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit on the rover's 87th martian day, or sol
Eyeing the Drive Ahead After 'Bonneville' (3-D)
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
Opportunity captured this vista of "Victoria Crater" from the viewpoint of "Cape Verde," one of the promontories that are part of the scalloped rim of the crater.
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Opportunity captured this vista of "Victoria Crater" from the viewpoint of "Cape Verde," one of the promontories that are part of the scalloped rim of the crater.
Panorama from 'Cape Verde'
An artist's concept portrays a NASA Mars Exploration Rover on the surface of Mars. Two rovers have been built for 2003 launches and January 2004 arrival at two sites on Mars. Each rover has the mob...
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An artist's concept portrays a NASA Mars Exploration Rover on the surface of Mars.
Artist's Concept of Rover on Mars

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