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Mars Exploration Rovers: Delta II Rocket Artwork

Stowed in the nose cone of this Delta II rocket, the Mars Exploration Rover blasts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It's destination: the planet Mars.

October 01, 2002

Stowed in the nose cone of this Delta II rocket, the Mars Exploration Rover blasts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It's destination: the planet Mars.

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NASA

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After two failed missions to Mars, NASA tried to double its odds for success by sending twin rovers to the Red Planet. Part one of the story of Spirit and Opportunity takes us from their birth to t...
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After two failed missions to Mars, NASA tried to double its odds for success by sending twin rovers to the Red Planet. Part one of the story of Spirit and Opportunity takes us from their birth to their launch from Earth.
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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
This three-dimensional anaglyph stereo view was created from navigation camera frames that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity acquired at about 4:05 p.m., local solar time on Mars, on sol 10...
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This three-dimensional anaglyph stereo view was created from navigation camera frames that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity
Looking at 'Endurance' on Sol 108 (3-D)
This set of images from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows a fierce dust storm is kicking up on Mars, with rovers on the surface indicated as icons.
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This set of images from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows a fierce dust storm is kicking up on Mars, with rovers on the surface indicated as icons.
2018 Giant Dust Storm on Mars
Download a PDF of the Mars Exploration Rover Fact Sheet.
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MER fact sheet
Mars Exploration Rover Fact Sheet
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
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
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
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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The First Martian Marathon
The First Martian Marathon
This stereo panorama shows the view NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity gained from the top of the "Cape Tribulation" segment of the rim of Endeavour Crater. The rover reached this point thre...
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This stereo panorama shows the view NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity gained from the top of the "Cape Tribulation" segment of the rim of Endeavour Crater.
High Viewpoint for 11-Year-Old Rover Mission on Mars (Stereo)
This Aug. 15, 2014, scene from the Pancam on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity looks back toward part of the west rim of Endeavour Crater that the rover drove along, heading southward, duri...
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This Aug. 15, 2014, scene from the Pancam on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity looks back toward part of the west rim of Endeavour Crater that the rover drove along, heading southward, during the summer of 2014. This version is in false color, making the rover's wheel tracks more apparent.
Rover Tracks in Northward View Along West Rim of Endeavour, False Color
Overhead and on-the-ground views of the 25-mile journey NASA's Opportunity Mars rover has made since landing in 2004. (No audio)
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Opportunity's Long Tracks on Crater Rim
Opportunity's Long Tracks on Crater Rim
This full-circle 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 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, on 'Matijevic Hill'
This global map of Mars shows a growing dust storm as of June 6, 2018. The map was produced by the Mars Color Imager (MARCI) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft.
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This global map of Mars shows a growing dust storm as of June 6, 2018. The map was produced by the Mars Color Imager (MARCI) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft.
Dust Storm Covers Opportunity
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
Artist's concept of controlling the rover from Earth, scientists drive the rover along Mars' surface inspecting geological features.
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Artist's concept of controlling the rover from Earth, scientists drive the rover along Mars' surface inspecting geological features.
Mars Exploration Rovers: Rover approaching a point of interest
In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, an overhead crane lowers the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) aeroshell toward a rotation stand.
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In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, an overhead crane lowers the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) aeroshell toward a rotation stand.
Crane Lowers Aeroshell
John Callas, project manager for NASA’s Mars Exploration Rovers mission, makes the call ending the last formal session via NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) for the Opportunity rover at Mars on Feb. ...
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John Callas, project manager for NASA’s Mars Exploration Rovers mission, makes the call ending the last formal session via NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) for the Opportunity rover at Mars on Feb. 12, 2019.
Last Call to Opportunity
This full-circle, stereo 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, stereo 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, Stereo View
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 (October 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 (October 31, 2010).
East Rim of Endeavour Crater
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
With the parachute deployed, three retrorockets fire their engines, suspending the lander 30 - 50 feet above the Martian surface.
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With the parachute deployed, three retrorockets fire their engines, suspending the lander 30 - 50 feet above the Martian surface.
Mars Exploration Rovers: Descent Artwork
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
Environmental testing
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Environmental testing
Mars Exploration Rover: Environmental testing
The yellow line on this map shows where NASA's Mars Rover Opportunity has driven from the place where it landed in January 2004 -- inside Eagle crater, at the upper left end of the track -- to a po...
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The yellow line on this map shows where NASA's Mars Rover Opportunity has driven from the place where it landed in January 2004 -- inside Eagle crater, at the upper left end of the track -- to a point about 2.2 miles (3.5 kilometers) away from reaching the rim of Endeavour crater.
Eagle to Endeavour: Opportunity's Path, Sol 2609

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