On January 4, 2004, the Mars exploration rover named Spirit touched down on the red planet, 106 million miles from Earth. The first of two rovers to arrive on Mars, Spirit began its mission searching for signs of a watery history. The rover was designed to function for 91 days. However, thanks to outstanding engineering, Spirit has been roaming Mars for more than 300 days_ After its first tentative treks from the landing platform, the rover quickly grew comfortable navigating the rocky terrain. Before long, Spirit was covering up to 360 feet a day and shattering distance records along the way. The rover's initial worksite was a rock dubbed 'Adirondack.' Using its grinding tool, Spirit became the first robot ever to carve into Martian rock. From there, the rover ventured to other sites like Humphrey, Ebenezer and into the Columbia Hills. It was in the Columbia Hills that Spirit finally hit the geological jackpot and found the mineral hematite. Hematite often forms in water-- water that may have nurtured life on Mars. How many more days the intrepid rover's drive will continue is anyone's guess. No matter how much longer the journey lasts, it will have been an incredible ride.
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NASA ID
ksc_122104_spirit_anniv
Date Created
December 22, 2004
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KSC
Media Type
video
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NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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