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Mars Exploration Rovers: Entering the Mars atmosphere

The aeroshell protects the rover from fiery temperatures as it enters the Martian atmosphere in January, 2004.

October 01, 2002

The aeroshell protects the rover from fiery temperatures as it enters the Martian atmosphere in January, 2004.

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NASA

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Serpent' Scuff
This is the Spirit panoramic camera's "Lookout" panorama, acquired on the rover's 410th to 413th martian days, or sols (Feb. 27 to Mar. 2, 2005).
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Lookout Panorama' from Spirit
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A dance-step pattern is visible in the wheel tracks near the left edge of this scene recorded in stereo by the navigation camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity during the 2,554th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars (April 1, 2011).
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Details of the Gusev Crater 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 Gusev Crater designated landing site are added with topographic information and higher-resolution imaging from instruments on the Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Odyssey orbiters.
Spirit's Landing Site: Gusev-overlays
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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 ...
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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.
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Kris Capraro adds the finishing touches of realistic color to the model meteorite.
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Researcher Kris Capraro adds the finishing touches of realistic color to a model of the "Block Island" meteorite.
Building a Meteorite Model
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This false-color image taken by Spirit shows a group of darker rocks dubbed "Toltecs," lying to the southeast of the rover's position.The rocks are believed to be basaltic, or volcanic, in composit...
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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...
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Download a zip file of the Opportunity Rover: Block Island Meteorite 3D Model.
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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.
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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)
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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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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 stereo vista from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows "Wdowiak Ridge," from left foreground to center, as part of a northward look with the rover's tracks visible at right. The ima...
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This stereo vista from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows "Wdowiak Ridge," from left foreground to center, as part of a northward look with the rover's tracks visible at right.
Opportunity's Northward View of 'Wdowiak Ridge' (Stereo)
The Mars Exploration Rover-2 is moved to a workstand in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility.
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The Mars Exploration Rover-2 is moved to a workstand in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility.
Rover 2 Moved to Workstand
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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NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its panoramic camera to record this eastward horizon view on the 2,407th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars (Oct. 31, 2010).
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NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its panoramic camera to record this eastward horizon view on the 2,407th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars (Oct. 31, 2010).
East Rim of Endeavour Crater in Opportunity's View, Sol 2407
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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Opportunity's Last Message
The "Lion King" panorama was the largest panorama obtained by either rover in 2004.
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The "Lion King" panorama was the largest panorama obtained by either rover in 2004.
'Lion King' Panorama
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.
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In this navigation camera raw image, NASA's Opportunity Rover looks back over its own tracks on Aug. 4, 2010. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, manages the Mars E...
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In this navigation camera raw image, NASA's Opportunity Rover looks back over its own tracks on Aug. 4, 2010. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, manages the Mars Exploration Rover Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington.
Looking Back on a Golden Opportunity
NASA's Opportunity Mars rover, working on Mars since January 2004, passed marathon distance in total driving on March 24, 2015. This map shows the rover's entire traverse from landing to that point.
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NASA's Opportunity Mars rover, working on Mars since January 2004, passed marathon distance in total driving on March 24, 2015. This map shows the rover's entire traverse from landing to that point.
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