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Mars exploration rovers. Mars Exploration Rovers. 90-day mission Landed in early 2004 One lasted six years The other is still exploring!. Spirit. Landing site picked from geomorphology Crater with channel running into it. Spirit. Plain covered in basalt rocks
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Mars Exploration Rovers • 90-day mission • Landed in early 2004 • One lasted six years • The other is still exploring!
Spirit • Landing site picked from geomorphology • Crater with channel running into it
Spirit • Plain covered in basalt rocks • Some basalts similar to Martian meteorites
Spirit • Saw dust devils! • http://marsrover.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20050819a/dd_enhanced_525b-B558R1.gif • http://marsrover.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20050819a/dd_enhanced_532a-A579R1.gif
Spirit • Traveled to the Columbia Hills
Spirit • Rocks look like they’ve been hydrothermally altered! • Evidence of water! • Lava flow covered rocks altered by water
Spirit • Got stuck in the sand in the Columbia Hills • Couldn’t turn so solar panels faced south in winter • Haven’t been able to raise it since March 2010 • Gave up trying to talk to Spirit last month
Opportunity • Interplanetary hole in one! • Rolled into a small crater called Eagle Crater • Sulfate-rich BEDROCK(!!!) right in front of the rover
Opportunity • Landing site chosen by mineralogy • High concentration of hematite
Opportunity • Embedded in sulfate-rich bedrock – blueberries! • Hematite spherules • Evidence of water
Opportunity • Found meteorites on Mars!
Opportunity • Traveled to Victoria Crater • Many layers of bedrock
Opportunity • On its way to Endeavor Crater – just surpassed 30 km! • 22 km (14 miles) in diameter