Mars shines brightly in the sky over Port Canaveral in Florida on Monday, July 30, 2018. The Red Planet appeared the brightest from July 27 to July 30, making its closest approach to Earth on July 31. The next Mars close approach is Oct. 6, 2020. A close approach is when Mars and Earth come nearest to each other in their orbits around the Sun.
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NASA ID
KSC-20180730-PH_KLS02_0001
Date Created
July 30, 2018
Center
KSC
Media Type
image
Photographer
NASA/Kim Shiflett
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- This plaque commemorating the STS-107 Space Shuttle Columbia crew now looks over the Mars landscape after the successful landing and deployment of the Mars Exploration Rover “Spirit” Jan. 4 onto the red planet. The plaque, mounted on the high-gain antenna, is shown while the rover underwent final checkout March 28, 2003, in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at KSC.
Jan 6, 2004
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. --Shown upside down to read the names, this plaque commemorating the STS-107 Space Shuttle Columbia crew now looks over the Mars landscape after the successful landing and deployment of the Mars Exploration Rover “Spirit” Jan. 4 onto the red planet. The plaque, mounted on the high-gain antenna, is shown while the rover underwent final checkout March 28, 2003, in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at KSC.
Jan 6, 2004
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- This plaque commemorating the STS-107 Space Shuttle Columbia crew now looks over the Mars landscape after the successful landing and deployment of the Mars Exploration Rover “Spirit” Jan. 4 onto the red planet. The plaque, mounted on the high-gain antenna, is shown while the rover underwent final checkout March 28, 2003, in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at KSC.
Jan 6, 2004
Mars Visible from Kennedy Space Center
Jul 30, 2018