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The Evolution of a Martian

This artist's illustration shows NASA's four successful Mars rovers (from left to right): Sojourner, Spirit and Opportunity, and Curiosity. The image also shows the upcoming Mars 2020 rover and a human explorer.

November 21, 2018

This artist's illustration shows NASA's four successful Mars rovers (from left to right): Sojourner, Spirit and Opportunity, and Curiosity. The image also shows the upcoming Mars 2020 rover and a human explorer.

Credits

NASA

ENLARGE

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These schematic drawings show a top view and a cutaway view of a section of the drill on NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars.
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These schematic drawings show a top view and a cutaway view of a section of the drill on NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars.
Views of Curiosity's Drill
The rim of Gale Crater is visible in the distance, through the dusty haze, in this Curiosity view of a sloping hillside on Mount Sharp
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The rim of Gale Crater is visible in the distance, through the dusty haze, in this Curiosity view of a sloping hillside on Mount Sharp
Farewell to Murray Buttes (Image 1)
This view of the calibration target for the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) aboard NASA's Mars rover Curiosity combines two images taken by that camera during the 34th Martian day, or sol, of Curios...
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This view of the calibration target for the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) aboard NASA's Mars rover Curiosity combines two images taken by that camera during the 34th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars (Sept. 9, 2012).
Calibration Target for Curiosity's Arm Camera
Water, whether liquid or frozen, absorbs neutrons more than other substances. The Detector of Albedo Neutrons on the Mars Science Laboratory rover will use this characteristic to search for subsurf...
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This picture shows a cross-sectional cartoon of a flat, sandy surface on top of a buried, undulating layer of sand and ice crystals. Above the surface, a cylindrical instrument aims a beam of neutrons into the ground at two different spots. Above the spot where the ice-rich layer is close to the surface is a cloud of dots representing neutrons escaping from the surface of Mars into the atmosphere. Above the ice-free layer is a much sparser scattering of neutrons escaping from the surface.
Detecting Subsurface Water
This image shows the transitional terrain where the linear troughs and rounded pits of an area called "Noctis Labyrinthus" merge with the larger canyon of "Valles Marineris." Unusual bright blocks ...
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An image of the transitional terrain where the linear troughs and rounded pits of an area called "Noctis Labyrinthus" merge with the larger canyon of "Valles Marineris."
Bright and Dark Terrain in Noctis Labyrinthus (3-D)
The smaller, narrow ridges oriented vertically are yardangs, which are created by wind erosion; the wind strips away the surrounding terrain, and the ridges remain because they contain more hardene...
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The smaller, narrow ridges oriented vertically are yardangs
Meanders and Tributaries in Ridge Form in the Zephyria Region (3-D)
This image shows the Highfield drill hole made by NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover as it was collecting a sample on “Vera Rubin Ridge” in Gale Crater.
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This image shows the Highfield drill hole made by NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover as it was collecting a sample on “Vera Rubin Ridge” in Gale Crater.
Highfield Drill Hole
One of two wind sensors springs out of the mast on NASA's Perseverance Mars rover. These sensors are part of Perseverance's weather instrumentation, called MEDA.
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One of two wind sensors springs out of the mast on NASA's Perseverance Mars rover. These sensors are part of Perseverance's weather instrumentation, called MEDA.
MEDA's Wind Sensor Springs Out
This image of Mars was taken from the height of 33 feet (10 meters) by NASA’s Ingenuity Mars helicopter during its sixth flight on May 22, 2021.
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This image of Mars was taken from the height of 33 feet (10 meters) by NASA’s Ingenuity Mars helicopter during its sixth flight on May 22, 2021.
Ingenuity Looks West
Researchers used the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity to capture this 10-second-exposure view of comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring as it passed near Mars on Oct. 1...
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Researchers used the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity to capture this 10-second-exposure 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 (Short Exposure)
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover captured these "sun rays" shining through clouds at sunset on Feb. 2, 2023, the 3,730th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. It was the first time that sun rays, also kn...
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NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover captured these “sun rays” shining through clouds at sunset on Feb. 2, 2023, the 3,730th Martian day, or sol, of the mission.
Curiosity Views First Martian 'Sun Rays'
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit obtained this stereo panorama of the surrounding Martian terrain in Gusev Crater from two positions about 10 meters (33 feet) apart. This is much greater separa...
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NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit obtained this stereo panorama of the surrounding Martian terrain in Gusev Crater from two positions about 10 meters (33 feet) apart
Sweeping View of the "Columbia Hills" and Gusev Crater (3-D)
The Range Trigger technique shrinks the Mars 2020 rovers landing ellipse significantly, landing the rover closer to the target area of greatest scientific interest. This example shows Mars 2020's e...
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The Range Trigger technique shrinks the Mars 2020 rovers landing ellipse significantly, landing the rover closer to the target area of greatest scientific interest. This example shows Mars 2020's ellipse in relationship to Mars rover Curiosity's landing ellipse. Mars 2020 will be landing in a different location.
Mars 2020 Range Trigger
When NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter attempts its first test flight on the Red Planet, the agency's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover will be close by, as seen in this artist's concept.
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When NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter attempts its first test flight on the Red Planet, the agency's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover will be close by, as seen in this artist's concept.
A Mars Rover and a Mars Flyer (Artist's Concept)
Mawrth Vallis was considered as a landing site for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission.
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Mawrth Vallis was considered as a landing site for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission.
Mawrth Vallis, a Finalist Not Selected as a Landing Site for Curiosity
This pair of images from the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Curiosity rover illustrates how special filters are used to scout terrain ahead for variations in the local bedrock.
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This pair of images from the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Curiosity rover illustrates how special filters are used to scout terrain ahead for variations in the local bedrock.
Mastcam Special Filters Help Locate Variations Ahead
This map shows the route driven by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover (blue line) and locations where the rover's ChemCam instrument detected the element boron (dots, colored by abundance of boron accordi...
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This map shows the route driven by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover (blue line) and locations where the rover's ChemCam instrument detected the element boron (dots, colored by abundance of boron according to the key at right). The inset is a blowup of the most recent portion of the traverse.
Where's Boron? Mars Rover Detects It
In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a section of the Atlas V payload fairing for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission hangs vertically fro...
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In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a section of the Atlas V payload fairing for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission hangs vertically from the ceiling.
Payload Fairing Upright
The Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover captured this mosaic as it explored the "clay-bearing unit" on Feb. 3, 2019 (Sol 2309).
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Mosaic captured by The Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover, exploring the "clay-bearing unit" on Feb. 3, 2019 (Sol 2309).
"Knockfarril Hill"
How can you communicate with Mars spacecraft when the Sun is in the way? Learn more about 'solar conjunction' in this 60-second video.
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Mars in a Minute: What Happens When the Sun Blocks our Signal?
Mars in a Minute: What Happens When the Sun Blocks our Signal?
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its panoramic camera (Pancam) to capture this false-color panorama of the "Matijevic Hill" area on the "Cape York" segment of the western rim of Endea...
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NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its panoramic camera (Pancam) to capture this false-color panorama of the "Matijevic Hill" area on the "Cape York" segment of the western rim of Endeavour Crater.
Diverse Outcrops on 'Matijevic Hill'
NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter lands with a soft bounce after its fifth flight on May 7, 2021. The images in this GIF were captured by the Mastcam-Z imager aboard NASA’s Perseverance rover.
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Video shows NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter landing with a soft bounce
Mastcam-Z GIF Show Ingenuity's Fifth Landing
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
Engineers just installed six new wheels on the Curiosity rover, and rotated all six wheels at once on July 9, 2010.
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Curiosity Spins Its Wheels
Curiosity Spins Its Wheels
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

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