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Artist's Concept of Rover on Mars (credit: Maas Digital LLC)

Marvin the Martian, Spirit rover Mission patch

Duck Dodgers, Opportunity rover Mission patch

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Mission is an ongoing robotic mission of exploring Mars, that began in 2003 with the sending of two rovers — Spirit and Opportunity — to explore the Martian surface and geology. The mission is led by Project Manager Peter Theisinger of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and principal investigator Steven Squyres, professor of astronomy at Cornell University. Image File history File links Gnome_globe_current_event. ... ISS in earth orbit. ... Image File history File links Shuttle. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (3000x2400, 963 KB)This image may be viewed in 3D stereo with same 3D glasses as other NASA Mars images. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (3000x2400, 963 KB)This image may be viewed in 3D stereo with same 3D glasses as other NASA Mars images. ... Image File history File links 3d_glasses_red_cyan. ... NASA Mars Exploration Rover Mission patch of Marvin the Martian, deemed fair use File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... NASA Mars Exploration Rover Mission patch of Marvin the Martian, deemed fair use File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... This page is about the cartoon character. ... Apollo 11 mission patch A mission patch is a cloth badge worn by astronauts and other personnel affiliated with a manned or unmanned space mission. ... NASA Mars Exploration Rover Mission patch of Daffy Duck, deemed fair use File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... NASA Mars Exploration Rover Mission patch of Daffy Duck, deemed fair use File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Duck Dodgers is the fictional star of a series of cartoons produced by Warner Bros. ... For other uses, see NASA (disambiguation). ... An artists interpretation of the MESSENGER spacecraft at Mercury A space probe is an unmanned, usually telerobotic space mission in which a spacecraft leaves Earths orbit. ... Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the solar system, named after the Roman god of war (the counterpart of the Greek Ares), on account of its blood red color as viewed in the night sky. ... Two different Mars rover designs. ... The launch patch for Spirit, featuring Marvin the Martian. ... The launch patch for Opportunity, featuring Duck Dodgers (Daffy Duck). ... This article includes a list of works cited but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Peter C. Theisinger was project manager of NASAs Mars Exploration Rover Mission. ... For other uses, see NASA (disambiguation). ... For the singer/songwriter, see Jon Peter Lewis. ... A principal investigator (PI) is the lead scientist for a particular well-defined science project, such as an astronomical observing campaign, laboratory study or clinical trial. ... Steve Squyres Steven W. Squyres (b. ... For other uses, see Astronomy (disambiguation). ... Cornell redirects here. ...

Primary among the mission's scientific goals is to search for and characterize a wide range of rocks and soils that hold clues to past water activity on Mars. The mission is part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program which includes three previous successful landers: the two Viking landers in 1976 and Pathfinder in 1997. This article is about the geological substance. ... Loess field in Germany Surface-water-gley developed in glacial till, Northern Ireland For the American hard rock band, see SOiL. For the System of a Down song, see Soil (song). ... Viking mission profile. ... The Mars Pathfinder was launched on December 4, 1996 by NASA aboard a Delta II just a month after the Mars Global Surveyor was launched. ...

The total cost of building, launching, landing and operating the rovers on the surface for the initial 90 day primary mission was about US$820 million. Since the rovers are still functioning four years after landing, mission funding has been extended to "possibly through 2009". ^[1] In July of 2007, Martian dust storms blocked sunlight to the rovers and threatened the ability of the craft to gather energy through their solar panels, causing engineers to fear that one or both of them might be permanently disabled; however, the dust storms have lifted and both rovers have resumed operations.^[2] A photovoltaic module is composed of individual PV cells. ...

In recognition of the vast amount of scientific information amassed by both rovers, two asteroids have been named in their honor: 37452 Spirit and 39382 Opportunity. NASAs 2003 Mars Exploration Rover Mission has amassed an enormous amount of scientific information related to the Martian geology and atmosphere, as well as providing some astronomical observations from Mars. ... For other uses, see Asteroid (disambiguation). ... Asteroid 37452 Spirit was discovered on September 24, 1960 by Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld, Cornelis Johannes van Houten and Tom Gehrels. ... Asteroid 39382 Opportunity was discovered on September 24, 1960 by Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld, Cornelis Johannes van Houten and Tom Gehrels. ...

Timeline

The MER-A rover, Spirit, was launched on June 10, 2003 at 17:59 UTC, and MER-B, Opportunity, on July 7, 2003 at 15:18 UTC. Spirit landed in Gusev crater on January 4, 2004 at 04:35 Ground UTC. Opportunity landed in the Meridiani Planum on the opposite side of Mars from Spirit, on January 25, 2004 05:05 Ground UTC. In the week following Spirit's landing, NASA's website recorded 1.7 billion hits and 34.6 terabytes of data transferred, eclipsing records set by previous NASA missions. The launch patch for Spirit, featuring Marvin the Martian. ... is the 161st day of the year (162nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... ... The launch patch for Opportunity, featuring Duck Dodgers (Daffy Duck). ... is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Gusev Crater is a meteor crater in Russia. ... is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Category: ... Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity looks southwest across Meridiani Planum; the Rovers discarded backshell and parachute are visible in the distance Hematite deposits in Meridiani Planum mapped from orbit, with Opportunity rover landing site ellipse Meridiani Planum is a plain located 2 degrees south of Mars equator, in the westernmost... is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... One thousand million (1,000,000,000) is the natural number following 999,999,999 and preceding 1,000,000,001. ... This article is about a measurement term for data storage capacity. ...

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit casts a shadow over the trench that the rover is examining with tools on its robotic arm. Spirit took this image with its front hazard-avoidance camera on February 21, 2004, during the rover's 48th martian day, or sol 48.

Opportunity's discarded heat shield.

On January 21, 2004, the Deep Space Network lost contact with Spirit, for reasons originally thought to be related to a thunderstorm over Australia. The rover transmitted a message with no data, but later that day missed another communications session with the Mars Global Surveyor. The next day, JPL managed to receive a beep from the rover, indicating that it was in fault mode. On the 23rd, the flight team succeeded in making the rover send. The fault was believed to have been caused by an error in the rover's Flash memory subsystem. The rover did not perform any scientific activities for 10 days, while engineers updated its software and ran tests. The problem was corrected by reformatting Spirit's flash memory and upgrading the software with a patch to avoid memory overload; Opportunity was also upgraded with the patch as a precaution. Spirit returned to full scientific operations by 5 February. This has to date been the most serious anomaly in the mission. This file has been listed on Wikipedia:Images and media for deletion. ... This file has been listed on Wikipedia:Images and media for deletion. ... is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Various schemes have been used or proposed to keep track of time and date on the planet Mars independently of Earth time and calendars. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Deep Space Network (DSN) is an international network of radio antennas that supports interplanetary spacecraft missions, and radio and radar astronomy observations for the exploration of the solar system and the universe. ... A shelf cloud associated with a heavy or severe thunderstorm over Enschede, The Netherlands. ... The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) was a US spacecraft developed by NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and launched November 1996. ... The JPL complex in Pasadena, Ca. ... A USB flash drive. ... A software release is to create a new version of the system or program and release it to the user community. ... is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

On March 23, 2004, a news conference was held announcing "major discoveries" of evidence of past liquid water on the Martian surface. A delegation of scientists showed pictures and data revealing a stratified pattern and cross bedding in the rocks of the outcrop inside a crater in Meridiani Planum, landing site of MER-B, Opportunity, suggesting that water once flowed in the region. The irregular distribution of chlorine and bromine also suggests that the place was once the shoreline of a salty sea, now evaporated. is the 82nd day of the year (83rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... Cross bedding is a geological term referring to the way a sedimentary deposit is affected by water currents, during its formation. ... Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity looks southwest across Meridiani Planum; the Rovers discarded backshell and parachute are visible in the distance Hematite deposits in Meridiani Planum mapped from orbit, with Opportunity rover landing site ellipse Meridiani Planum is a plain located 2 degrees south of Mars equator, in the westernmost... MER-B (Opportunity) is the second of the two rovers of NASAs Mars Exploration Rover Mission. ... General Name, symbol, number chlorine, Cl, 17 Chemical series nonmetals Group, period, block 17, 3, p Appearance yellowish green Standard atomic weight 35. ... Bromo redirects here. ...

On April 8, 2004, NASA announced that it was extending the mission life of the rovers from 3 to 8 months. It immediately provided additional funding of US $15 million through September, and $2.8 million per month for continuing operations. April 8 is the 98th day of the year (99th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On April 30, 2004, Opportunity arrived at Endurance crater, taking about 5 days to drive the 200 meters. is the 120th day of the year (121st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Endurance is a crater on Mars that was visited by the Opportunity rover from May until December, 2004. ...

On September 22, 2004, NASA announced that it was extending the mission life of the rovers for another 6 months. Opportunity was to leave Endurance crater, visit its discarded heat shield, and proceed to Victoria crater. Spirit was to attempt to climb to the top of the Columbia Hills. is the 265th day of the year (266th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Victoria Crater is an impact crater located at 5. ... The view of Columbia Hills from the MER-A landing site The Columbia Hills are a range of low hills inside Gusev crater on Mars. ...

On April 6, 2005, with the two rovers still functioning well, NASA announced another 18 month extension of the mission to September 2006. Opportunity was to visit the "Etched Terrain" and Spirit was to climb a rocky slope toward the top of Husband Hill. is the 96th day of the year (97th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Husband Hill is one of the Columbia Hills in Gusev crater, Mars. ...

Spirit's "postcard" view from the summit of Husband Hill: a windswept plateau strewn with rocks, small exposures of outcrop, and sand dunes. The view is to the north, looking down upon the "Tennessee Valley". This approximate true-color composite spans about 90 degrees and consists of 18 frames captured by the rover's panoramic camera.

On August 21, 2005, Spirit reached the summit of Husband Hill after 581 sols and a journey of 4.81 kilometers (2.99 mi). Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x478, 101 KB)Image source: http://marsrovers. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x478, 101 KB)Image source: http://marsrovers. ... is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Spirit celebrated its one Martian year anniversary (669 sols or 687 Earth days) on November 20, 2005. Opportunity celebrated its anniversary on December 12. At the beginning of the mission, it was expected that the rovers would not survive much longer than 90 days. The Columbia Hills were "just a dream" according to rover driver Chris Leger. is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

On February 7, 2006, Spirit reached the semicircular rock formation known as Home Plate. It is a layered rock outcrop that puzzles and excites scientists. It is thought that its rocks are explosive volcanic deposits, though other possibilities exist, including impact deposits or wind/water borne sediment. is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image taken by Spirit, showing its microscopic imager moving into position over the layered rocks of Home Plate. Home Plate is an informal nickname used by NASA scientists to refer to a geological feature on Mars currently under study by the Spirit rover. ...

On March 13, 2006, Spirit's front right wheel ceased working while the rover was moving itself to McCool Hill. Her drivers attempted to drag the dead wheel behind Spirit, but this only worked until reaching an impassable sandy area on the lower slopes. Drivers directed Spirit to a smaller sloped feature, dubbed "Low Ridge Haven", where she is currently spending the long Martian winter, waiting for spring and increased solar power levels suitable for driving. is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... McCool Hill is the tallest of the Columbia Hills in Gusev crater, Mars. ...

On September 26, 2006, Spaceflight Now reported that NASA has extended mission for the two rovers through September 2007.^[3] On September 27, 2006, Opportunity reached the rim of Victoria crater.^[4] is the 269th day of the year (270th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Victoria Crater is an impact crater located at 5. ...

Spirit had lasted over 1,000 Martian days exploring Gusev Crater as of October 25, 2006. Opportunity had lasted over 1,000 Martian days exploring Meridiani Planum as of November 16, 2006. As of January 24, 2007, the rovers had lasted on Mars more than three years. (Although Opportunity landed on January 25, the year 2004 was a leap year.) is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the 1921 film starring Fatty Arbuckle, see Leap Year (film). ...

On February 6, 2007, Opportunity became the first spacecraft to traverse 10,000 meters - 10 kilometers - on the surface of Mars.^[5] is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

On June 28, 2007, Opportunity was poised to enter Victoria Crater from its perch on the rim of Duck Bay.^[6], but due to extensive dust storms, it was indefinitely delayed until the dust had cleared and power returned to safe levels.^[7] is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

On August 28, 2007, Spirit and Opportunity resumed driving after hunkering down during raging dust storms that limited solar power to a level that nearly caused the permanent failure of both rovers.^[8] is the 240th day of the year (241st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

On October 1, 2007,^[9] both Spirit and Opportunity entered their fifth mission extension that could possibly extend operations into 2009^[10], allowing the rovers to have spent five years exploring the Martian surface, pending their continued survival. is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

On January 3, 2008, Spirit entered its fourth year of exploration of Gusev crater. is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... Gusev Crater is a meteor crater in Russia. ...

Spacecraft design

Delta II lifting off.

MER cruise stage diagram (Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech).

Cruise stage of Opportunity rover.

Overview of the Mars Exploration Rover aeroshell.

The Mars Exploration Rover was designed to be stowed in the nose of a Delta II rocket. Each spacecraft consists of several components: Download high resolution version (330x650, 32 KB)A Delta II rocket launches from Cape Canaveral, public domain image from af. ... Download high resolution version (330x650, 32 KB)A Delta II rocket launches from Cape Canaveral, public domain image from af. ... Image File history File links File links The following pages link to this file: Mars Exploration Rover ... Image File history File links File links The following pages link to this file: Mars Exploration Rover ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3000x1995, 3113 KB) original description: In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, the Mars Exploration Rover-1 (MER-B) awaits further preflight processing atop a spin table. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3000x1995, 3113 KB) original description: In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, the Mars Exploration Rover-1 (MER-B) awaits further preflight processing atop a spin table. ... Image File history File links Mars_Rover_Aeroshell. ... Image File history File links Mars_Rover_Aeroshell. ... A Delta II rocket launches from Cape Canaveral carrying a GPS satellite The Boeing IDS Delta II family of launch vehicles has been in service since 1989. ...

• Rover: 185 kg (408 lb)
• Lander: 348 kg (767 lb)
• Backshell / Parachute: 209 kg (461 lb)
• Heat Shield: 78 kg (172 lb)
• Cruise Stage: 193 kg (425 lb)
• Propellant: 50 kg (110 lb)

Total mass is 1,063 kg (2,343 lb).

Cruise stage

The cruise stage is the component of the spacecraft, used for travel from Earth to Mars. Its very similar to the Mars Pathfinder in design and is approximately 2.65 meters (8.7 feet) in diameter and 1.6 m (5.2 ft) tall including the entry vehicle (see below). This article is about the unit of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... DIAMETER is a computer networking protocol for AAA (Authentication, Authorization and Accounting). ...

The primary structure is aluminium with an outer ring of ribs covered by the solar panels, which are about 2.65 m (8.7 ft) in diameter. Divided into five sections, the solar arrays can provide up to 600 watts of power near Earth and 300 W at Mars. Aluminum redirects here. ... A photovoltaic module is composed of individual PV cells. ... For other uses, see Watt (disambiguation). ...

Heaters and multi-layer insulation keep the electronics "warm". A freon system removes heat from the flight computer and communications hardware inside the rover so they do not overheat. Cruise avionics systems allow the flight computer to interface with other electronics such as the sun sensors, star scanner and heaters. Closeup of Multi-layer insulation from a satellite. ... Freon is a trade name for a group of chlorofluorocarbons used primarily as a refrigerant. ...

Navigation

The star scanner (with a backup system) and sun sensor allowed the spacecraft to know its orientation in space by analyzing the position of the Sun and other stars in relation to itself. Sometimes the craft could be slightly off course; this was expected given the 500 million kilometer (320 million mile) journey. Thus navigators planned up to six trajectory correction maneuvers, along with health checks. In the context of spacecraft, attitude control is control of the angular position and rotation of the spacecraft, either relative to the object that it is orbiting, or relative to the celestial sphere. ...

To ensure the spacecraft arrived at Mars in the right place for its landing, two light-weight, aluminium-lined tanks carried about 31 kg (about 68 lb) of hydrazine propellant. Along with cruise guidance and control systems, the propellant allowed navigators to keep the spacecraft on course. Burns and pulse firings of the propellant allowed three types of maneuvers: Hydrazine is the chemical compound with formula N2H4. ... A propellant is a material that is used to move an object by applying a motive force. ...

• An axial burn uses pairs of thrusters to change spacecraft velocity;
• A lateral burn uses two "thruster clusters" (four thrusters per cluster) to move the spacecraft "sideways" through seconds-long pulses;
• Pulse mode firing uses coupled thruster pairs for spacecraft precession maneuvers (turns).

Precession redirects here. ...

Communication

The spacecraft used a high-frequency X band radio wavelength to communicate, which allowed for less power and smaller antennas than many older craft, which used S band. The X band (3-cm radar spot-band) of the microwave band of the electromagnetic spectrum roughly ranges from 5. ... For other uses, see Wavelength (disambiguation). ... A yagi antenna Most simply, an antenna is an electronic component designed to send or receive radio waves. ... The S band ranges from 2 to 4 GHz. ...

Navigators sent commands through two antennas on the cruise stage: a cruise low-gain antenna mounted inside the inner ring, and a cruise medium-gain antenna in the outer ring. The low-gain antenna was used close to Earth. It is omni-directional, so the transmission power that reached Earth fell fast with increasing distance. As the craft moved closer to Mars, the Sun and Earth moved closer in the sky as viewed from the craft, so less energy reached Earth. Then, the spacecraft switched to the medium-gain antenna, which directed the same amount of transmission power into a tighter beam toward Earth. The low-gain antenna (LGA) is an antenna with a broad radiowave beam width. ...

During flight, the spacecraft was spin-stabilized with a spin rate of 2 rpm. Periodic updates kept antennas pointed toward Earth and solar panels toward Sun. A gyroscope For other uses, see Gyroscope (disambiguation). ...

Aeroshell

The aeroshell formed a protective covering for the lander during the seven month voyage to Mars. Together with the lander and the rover, it constituted the "entry vehicle". Its main purpose was to protect the lander and the rover inside it from the intense heating of entry into the thin Martian atmosphere. It was based on the Mars Pathfinder and Mars Viking designs.

Parts

The aeroshell was made of two main parts: a heat shield and a backshell. The heat shield was flat and brownish, and protected the lander and rover from the intense heat from entry into the Martian atmosphere and acted as the first aerobrake for the spacecraft. The backshell was large, cone-shaped and painted white. It carried the parachute and several components used in later stages of entry, descent, and landing, including: In aeronautics, a heat shield is a protective layer on a spacecraft or ballistic missile that is designed to protect it from high temperatures, usually those that result from aerobraking during entry into a planets atmosphere. ... Aerobraking is an advanced interplanetary space navigation technique, whereby the velocity vector of a space vehicle is modified by interaction with a target bodys atmosphere. ... This article is about the device. ...

• A parachute (stowed at the top of the backshell);
• The backshell electronics and batteries that fire off pyrotechnic devices like separation nuts, rockets and the parachute mortar;
• A Litton LN-200 Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), which monitors and reports the orientation of the backshell as it swings under the parachute;
• Three large solid rocket motors called RAD rockets (Rocket Assisted Descent), each providing about a ton of force (10 kilonewtons) for over 2 seconds;
• Three small solid rockets called TIRS (mounted so that they aim horizontally out the sides of the backshell) that provide a small horizontal kick to the backshell to help orient the backshell more vertically during the main RAD rocket burn.

The Space Shuttle is initially launched with the help of solid-fuel boosters A Solid rocket or a solid fuel rocket is a rocket with a motor that uses solid propellants (fuel/oxidizer). ... The kilonewton, symbol kN, is an SI unit of force. ...

Composition

Built by the Lockheed Martin Astronautics Co. in Denver, Colorado, the aeroshell is made of an aluminium honeycomb structure sandwiched between graphite-epoxy face sheets. The outside of the aeroshell is covered with a layer of phenolic honeycomb. This honeycomb is filled with an ablative material (also called an "ablator"), that dissipates heat generated by atmospheric friction. Phenol, also known under an older name of carbolic acid, is a colourless crystalline solid with a typical sweet tarry odor. ... Ablation is defined as the removal of material from the surface of an object by vaporization, chipping, or other erosive processes. ...

The ablator itself is a unique blend of cork wood, binder and many tiny silica glass spheres. It was invented for the heat shields flown on the Viking Mars lander missions. A similar technology was used in the first US manned space missions Mercury, Gemini and Apollo. It was specially formulated to react chemically with the Martian atmosphere during entry and carry heat away, leaving a hot wake of gas behind the vehicle. The vehicle slowed from 19000 km/h (about 12000 mph) to about 1600 km/h (1000 mph) in about a minute, producing about 60 m/s² (6 g) of acceleration on the lander and rover. For other uses, see Cork. ... For other uses, see Wood (disambiguation). ... New Reaper McCormick Harvester and Binder A modern compact binder For other uses, see Binder (disambiguation). ... The chemical compound silicon dioxide, also known as silica, is the oxide of silicon, chemical formula SiO2. ... Human spaceflight is space exploration with a human crew, and possibly passengers (in contrast to unmanned space missions, which are remotely-controlled or robotic space probes). ... Description Role: Orbital spaceflight Crew: one, pilot Dimensions Height: 11. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... This article is about the series of human spaceflight missions. ... Kilometres per hour (American spelling: kilometers per hour) is a unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector). ... Miles per hour is a unit of speed, expressing the number of international miles covered per hour. ... The term g force or gee force refers to the symbol g, the force of acceleration due to gravity at the earths surface. ... Acceleration is the time rate of change of velocity and/or direction, and at any point on a velocity-time graph, it is given by the slope of the tangent to the curve at that point. ...

The backshell and heat shield are made of the same materials, but the heat shield has a thicker 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) layer of the ablator. Also, instead of being painted, the backshell was covered with a very thin aluminized PET film blanket to protect it from the cold of deep space. The blanket vaporized during Mars atmospheric entry. An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ... Biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (boPET) polyester film is used for its high tensile strength, chemical and dimensional stability, transparency, gas and aroma barrier properties and electrical insulation. ...

Parachute

Mars Exploration Rover's parachute test

The parachute helped slow the spacecraft during entry, descent, and landing. It is located in the backshell.^[11] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 130 KB) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 130 KB) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Design

The 2003 parachute design was part of a long-term Mars parachute technology development effort and is based on the designs and experience of the Viking and Pathfinder missions. The parachute for this mission is 40% larger than Pathfinder's because the largest load for the Mars Exploration Rover is 80 to 85 kilonewtons (kN) or 18,000 to 19,000 lbf when the parachute fully inflates. By comparison, Pathfinder's inflation loads were approximately 35 kN (about 8,000 lbf). The parachute was designed and constructed in South Windsor, Connecticut by Pioneer Aerospace (website), the company that also designed the parachute for the Stardust mission.^[12] For other uses, see Newton (disambiguation). ... Location of South Windsor within Connecticut. ... An artists rendering of Stardust (NASA image) The Stardust capsule with cometary and interstellar samples landed at the U.S. Air Force Utah Test and Training Range at 10:10 UTC (15 January 2006) in the Bonneville Salt Flats. ...

Composition

The parachute is made of two durable, lightweight fabrics: polyester and nylon. A triple bridle made of Kevlar connects the parachute to the backshell. SEM picture of a bend in a high surface area polyester fiber with a seven-lobed cross section Polyester (aka Terylene) is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. ... For other uses of this word, see nylon (disambiguation). ... Kevlars molecular structure; BOLD: monomer unit; DASHED: hydrogen bonds. ...

The amount of space available on the spacecraft for the parachute is so small that the parachute had to be pressure packed. Before launch, a team tightly folded the 48 suspension lines, three bridle lines, and the parachute. The parachute team loaded the parachute in a special structure that then applied a heavy weight to the parachute package several times. Before placing the parachute into the backshell, the parachute was heat set to sterilize it.^[13] Sterilization (or sterilisation) refers to any process that effectively kills or eliminates transmissible agents (such as fungi, bacteria, viruses and prions) from a surface, equipment, foods, medications, or biological culture medium. ...

Connected systems

Descent is halted by retrorockets and lander is dropped 10m (30 feet) to the surface.

Zylon Bridles: After the parachute was deployed at an altitude of about 10 km (6 miles) above the surface, the heatshield was released using 6 separation nuts and push-off springs. The lander then separated from the backshell and "rappelled" down a metal tape on a centrifugal braking system built into one of the lander petals. The slow descent down the metal tape placed the lander in position at the end of another bridle (tether), made of a nearly 20 m (65 ft) long braided Zylon. ^[14] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x1028, 84 KB) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x1028, 84 KB) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A retrorocket is a rocket engine used to provide thrust opposing the motion of a spacecraft, thereby causing it to decelerate. ... poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) Zylon is a trademarked name for a range of thermoset polyurethane materials manufactured by the Toyobo Corporation. ...

Zylon is an advanced fiber material similar to Kevlar that is sewn in a webbing pattern (like shoelace material) to make it stronger. The Zylon bridle provides space for airbag deployment, distance from the solid rocket motor exhaust stream, and increased stability. The bridle incorporates an electrical harness that allows the firing of the solid rockets from the backshell as well as provides data from the backshell inertial measurement unit (which measures rate and tilt of the spacecraft) to the flight computer in the rover. ^[15]

Rocket assisted descent (RAD): motors. Because the atmospheric density of Mars is less than 1% of Earth's, the parachute alone could not slow down the Mars Exploration Rover enough to ensure a safe, low landing speed. The spacecraft descent was assisted by rockets that brought the spacecraft to a dead stop 10–15 m (30–50 ft) above the Martian surface. ^[16]

Radar altimeter unit: A radar altimeter unit was used to determine the distance to the Martian surface. The radar's antenna is mounted at one of the lower corners of the lander tetrahedron. When the radar measurement showed the lander was the correct distance above the surface, the Zylon bridle was cut, releasing the lander from the parachute and backshell so that it was free and clear for landing. The radar data also enabled the timing sequence on airbag inflation and backshell RAD rocket firing.^[17] For other uses, see Radar (disambiguation). ... Diagram showing the face of a three-pointer sensitive aircraft altimeter displaying altitude in feet. ...

Airbags

Artist's concept of inflated airbags

Airbags used in the Mars Exploration Rover mission are the same type that Mars Pathfinder used in 1997. They had to be strong enough to cushion the spacecraft if it landed on rocks or rough terrain and allow it to bounce across Mars' surface at freeway speeds after landing. The airbags had to be inflated seconds before touchdown and deflated once safely on the ground. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x1028, 75 KB) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x1028, 75 KB) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... For the Mozilla crash reporting software previously called Airbag, see Breakpad. ... The Mars Pathfinder was launched on December 4, 1996 by NASA aboard a Delta II just a month after the Mars Global Surveyor was launched. ...

The airbags were made of Vectran, like those on Pathfinder. Vectran has almost twice the strength of other synthetic materials, such as Kevlar, and performs better in cold temperatures. Six 100 denier (10 mg/m) layers of Vectran protected one or two inner bladders of Vectran in 200 denier (20 mg/m). Using 100 denier (10 mg/m) leaves more fabric in the outer layers where it is needed, because there are more threads in the weave. Vectran is a manufactured fibre, spun from a liquid crystal polymer created by Celanese Acetate LLC. These fibres are noted for thermal stability at high temperatures, high strength, and good chemical stability. ... Denier is a unit of measure for the linear mass density of fibers. ...

Each rover used four airbags with six lobes each, which were all connected. Connection was important, since it helped abate some of the landing forces by keeping the bag system flexible and responsive to ground pressure. The airbags were not attached directly to the rover, but were held to it by ropes that crisscross them. The ropes gave the bags shape, making inflation easier. While in flight, the bags were stowed along with three gas generators that are used for inflation.

Lander

MER lander petals opening (Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech).

The spacecraft lander is a protective "shell" that houses the rover and protects it, along with the airbags, from the forces of impact. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3000x1955, 1196 KB) original description: In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, technicians reopen the lander petals of the Mars Exploration Rover 2 (MER-2) to allow access to one of the spacecrafts circuit boards. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3000x1955, 1196 KB) original description: In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, technicians reopen the lander petals of the Mars Exploration Rover 2 (MER-2) to allow access to one of the spacecrafts circuit boards. ...

The lander is a tetrahedron shape whose sides open like petals. It is strong and light, and made of beams and sheets. The beams consist of layers of graphite fiber woven into a fabric that is lighter than aluminium and more rigid than steel. Titanium fittings are glued and fitted onto the beams to allow it to be bolted together. The rover was held inside the lander by bolts and special nuts that were released after landing with small explosives. A tetrahedron (plural: tetrahedra) is a polyhedron composed of four triangular faces, three of which meet at each vertex. ... For other uses, see Graphite (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Steel (disambiguation). ... A bolt may be one of the following things: For bolts and capscrews, see Bolted joint. ...

Uprighting

After the lander stopped bouncing and rolling on the ground, it came to rest on the base of the tetrahedron or one of its sides. Then, the sides open to make the base horizontal and the rover upright. The sides are connected to the base by hinges, each of which has a motor strong enough to lift the lander. The rover plus lander has a mass of about 533 kilograms (1,175 pounds). The rover alone weighs about 185 kg (408 lb). The gravity on Mars is about 38% of Earth's, so the motor does not need to be as powerful as it would on Earth. For other uses, see Mass (disambiguation). ... Kg redirects here. ... Look up pound in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

The rover contains accelerometers to detect which way is down (toward the surface of Mars) by measuring the pull of gravity. The rover computer then commanded the correct lander petal to open to place the rover upright. Once the base petal was down and the rover was upright, the other two petals were opened. A depiction of an accelerometer designed at Sandia National Laboratories. ...

The petals initially opened to an equally flat position, so all sides of the lander were straight and level. The petal motors are strong enough so that if two of the petals come to rest on rocks, the base with the rover would be held in place like a bridge above the ground. The base will hold at a level even with the height of the petals resting on rocks, making a straight flat surface throughout the length of the open, flattened lander. The flight team on Earth could then send commands to the rover to adjust the petals to create a safe path for the rover to drive off the lander and onto the Martian surface without dropping off a steep rock.

Moving the payload onto Mars

Spirit's lander on Mars.

The moving of the rover off the lander is called the egress phase of the mission. The rover must avoid having its wheels caught in the airbag material or falling off a sharp incline. To help this, a retraction system on the petals slowly drags the airbags toward the lander before the petals open. Small ramps on the petals fan out to fill spaces between the petals. They cover uneven terrain, rock obstacles, and airbag material, and form a circular area from which the rover can drive off in more directions. They also lower the step that the rover must climb down. They are nicknamed "batwings", and are made of Vectran cloth. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x722, 158 KB) Popis Mars Exploration Rover Spirit took this mosaic on 16th sol. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x722, 158 KB) Popis Mars Exploration Rover Spirit took this mosaic on 16th sol. ...

About three hours were allotted to retract the airbags and deploy the lander petals.

Rover design

Mars Exploration Rover vs. Sojourner rover (Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech).

The rovers are six-wheeled, solar-powered robots which stand 1.5 m (4.9 ft) high, 2.3 m (7.5 ft) wide and 1.6 m (5.2 ft) long. They weigh 180 kg (400 lb), 35 kg (80 lb) of which is the wheel and suspension system. ^[18] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x960, 497 KB) Mars Exploration Rover vs. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x960, 497 KB) Mars Exploration Rover vs. ... The Mars Pathfinder was launched on December 4, 1996 by NASA aboard a Delta II just a month after the Mars Global Surveyor was launched. ...

Drive system

Each rover has six wheels mounted on a rocker-bogie suspension system that ensures wheels remain on the ground while driving over rough terrain. The design reduces the range of motion of the rover body by half, and allows the rover to go over obstacles or through holes that are more than a wheel diameter (250 mm or 10 inches) in size. Each wheel also has cleats, providing grip for climbing in soft sand and scrambling over rocks. Rocker-bogie The Rocker-Bogie system is the suspension arrangement used in the Mars rovers (mechanical robot) for both the Mars Pathfinder and Mars Exploration Rover missions. ...

Each wheel has its own motor. The two front and two rear wheels each have individual steering motors. This allows the vehicle to turn in place, a full revolution, and to swerve and curve, making arching turns. The rover is designed to withstand a tilt of 45 degrees in any direction without overturning. However, the rover is programmed through its "fault protection limits" in its hazard avoidance software to avoid exceeding tilts of 30 degrees.

Each rover can spin one of its front wheels in place to grind deep into the terrain. It is to remain motionless while the digging wheel is spinning.

The rover has a top speed on flat hard ground of 50 mm/s (2 in/s). But its average speed is 10 mm/s because its hazard avoidance software causes it to stop every 10 seconds for 20 seconds to observe and understand the terrain it has driven into.

Power and electronic systems

When fully illuminated, the rover solar arrays generate about 140 watts for up to four hours per Martian day (sol). The rover needs about 100 watts to drive. Its power system includes two rechargeable lithium ion batteries weighing 7.15 kg (16 pounds) each, that provide energy when the sun is not shining, especially at night. Over time, the batteries will degrade and will not be able to recharge to full capacity. Various schemes have been used or proposed to keep track of time and date on the planet Mars independently of Earth time and calendars. ... Li-Ion Camera Battery Lithium ion batteries (or Li-ion) have become very common and dropped in price recently. ...

For comparison, the future Mars Science Laboratory is expected to last approximately one Martian year using radioisotope thermoelectric generators to power its many instruments. Solar panels are also being considered, but RTGs provide versatility to work in dark environments and high latitudes where solar energy is not an efficient way to generate power. 2007 Mars Science Laboratory concept Schematic diagram of the planned rover components The Mars Science Laboratory (or MSL for short) is a NASA rover scheduled to launch in September 2009 and perform a precision landing on Mars in July-September 2010. ... // A radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) is a simple electrical generator which obtains its power from radioactive decay. ...

It was thought that by the end of the 90-sol mission, the capability of the solar arrays to generate power would likely be reduced to about 50 watts. This was due to anticipated dust coverage on the solar arrays, and the change in season. But over three Earth years later, the rovers' power supplies hovered between 300 watt-hours and 900 watt-hours per day, depending on dust coverage. Cleaning events (probably wind) have occurred more often than NASA expected, keeping the arrays relatively free of dust and extending the life of the mission. But with the recent possible global dust storm on Mars, both rovers have been experiencing some of the lowest power of the mission; Opportunity dipped to a mere 128 watt-hours.^[19] The watt-hour (symbol W·h) is a unit of energy. ...

The rovers run a VxWorks embedded operating system on a radiation-hardened 20 MHz RAD6000 CPU with 128 MB of DRAM with error detection and correction and 3 MB of EEPROM. Each rover also has 256 MB of flash memory. To survive during all of the various mission phases, the rover's vital instruments must stay within a temperature of −40 °C to +40 °C (−40 °F to 104 °F). At night the rovers are heated by eight radioisotope heater units (RHU) which each continuously generate 1 W of thermal energy from the decay of radioisotopes, along with electrical heaters that operate only when necessary. A sputtered gold film and a layer of silica aerogel are used for insulation. VxWorks is a Unix-like real-time operating system made and sold by Wind River Systems of Alameda, California, USA. Like most RTOSes, VxWorks includes a multitasking kernel with pre-emptive scheduling and fast interrupt response, extensive inter-process communications and synchronization facilities, and a file system. ... An embedded operating system is an operating system for embedded computer systems. ... Microelectronics designed for environments with high levels of ionizing radiation have special design challenges. ... MegaHertz (MHz) is the name given to one million (106) Hertz, a measure of frequency. ... The RAD6000 radiation-hardened single board computer, based on the IBM POWER CPU, is manufactured by BAE SYSTEMS and is mainly known as the onboard computer of numerous NASA spacecraft. ... CPU redirects here. ... This article is about a unit of data. ... Dram can mean several things: Dram (unit), an imperial unit of volume Dram, an imperial unit of weight or mass, see avoirdupois and apothecaries system Ottoman dram, a unit of weight, see dirhem Armenian dram, a monetary unit DRAM, a type of RAM Category: ... An EEPROM (also called an E2PROM)[] or Electronically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory, is a non-volatile storage chip used in computers and other devices to store small amounts of volatile (configuration) data. ... A USB flash drive. ... Photo of a disassembed RHU Diagram of a radioisotope heater unit Similar to a tiny radioisotope thermoelectric generator, these units normally provide about 1 Watt of heat each, derived from the decay of a few grams of Plutonium 238. ... For other uses, see Watt (disambiguation). ... A radionuclide is an atom with an unstable nucleus. ... GOLD refers to one of the following: GOLD (IEEE) is an IEEE program designed to garner more student members at the university level (Graduates of the Last Decade). ... The chemical compound silicon dioxide, also known as silica, is the oxide of silicon, chemical formula SiO2. ... A 2. ...

Communication

The rover has a low-gain and a high-gain antenna. The low-gain antenna is omnidirectional, and transmits data at a low rate to Deep Space Network (DSN) antennas on Earth. The high-gain antenna is directional and steerable, and can transmit data to Earth at a higher rate. The low-gain antenna (LGA) is an antenna with a broad radiowave beam width. ... The high-gain antenna (HGA) is an antenna with a focused, narrow radiowave beam width. ... An omnidirectional antenna is an antenna system which radiates power uniformly in one plane with a directive pattern shape in a perpendicular plane. ... Deep Space Network (DSN) is an international network of radio antennas that supports interplanetary spacecraft missions, and radio and radar astronomy observations for the exploration of the solar system and the universe. ...

The rovers also use the low-gain antennas to communicate with spacecraft orbiting Mars, the Mars Odyssey and (before its failure) the Mars Global Surveyor. The orbiters relay data from and to Earth; most data to Earth is relayed through Odyssey. The benefits of using the orbiters are that they are closer to the rovers than the antennas on Earth, and have view of Earth for much longer than the rovers. The orbiters communicate with the rovers using UHF antennas, which have shorter range than the low and high-gain antennas. One UHF antenna is on the rover and one is on a petal of the lander to aid in gaining information during the critical landing event. Artists concept of the 2001 Mars Odyssey Spacecraft 2001 Mars Odyssey is an unmanned spacecraft orbiting the planet Mars. ... The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) was a US spacecraft developed by NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and launched November 1996. ...

The rovers have a total of 18 cameras, which produce 1024-pixel by 1024-pixel images at 12 bits per pixel,[1] but most images are truncated to 8 bits per pixel. They are then compressed using ICER before being stored and sent to Earth. Navigation, thumbnail, and many other image types are compressed to approximately 1 bit/pixel. Lower bit rates (less than 0.5 bit/pixel) are used for certain wavelengths of multi-color panoramic images. ICER is a wavelet-based image compression file format used by the NASA Mars Rovers. ...

ICER is based on wavelets, and was designed specifically for deep-space applications. It produces progressive compression, both lossless and lossy, and incorporates an error-containment scheme to limit the effects of data loss on the deep-space channel. It outperforms the lossy JPEG image compressor and the lossless Rice compressor used by the MPF mission.

Scientific instrumentation

MER Panoramic Camera (Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech).

An image from Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES), an instrument on the probe that is used for identifying rocks.

Alpha particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) (Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech).

The rover has various instruments. Three are mounted on one assembly: Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1400x1050, 172 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Mars Exploration Rover ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1400x1050, 172 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Mars Exploration Rover ... This image shows the martian terrain through the eyes of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirits mini-thermal emission spectrometer, an instrument that detects the infrared light, or heat, emitted by objects. ... This image shows the martian terrain through the eyes of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirits mini-thermal emission spectrometer, an instrument that detects the infrared light, or heat, emitted by objects. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1620x1431, 261 KB) Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) of a Mars Exploration Rover (MER) original description: Located on the arm of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer uses alpha particles and X-rays to determine... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1620x1431, 261 KB) Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) of a Mars Exploration Rover (MER) original description: Located on the arm of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer uses alpha particles and X-rays to determine... An alpha particle is deflected by a magnetic field Alpha radiation consists of helium-4 nuclei and is readily stopped by a sheet of paper. ... In the NATO phonetic alphabet, X-ray represents the letter X. An X-ray picture (radiograph) taken by Röntgen An X-ray is a form of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength approximately in the range of 5 pm to 10 nanometers (corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 PHz... APXS is an acronym for Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer, a device that analyses the elements of a sample from the Alpha particles and X-Rays emitted. ...

• Panoramic Camera (Pancam), for determining the texture, color, mineralogy, and structure of the local terrain.
• Navigation Camera (Navcam), that has higher field of view but lower resolution and is monochromatic, for navigation and driving.
• A mirror for the Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES), which identifies promising rocks and soils for closer examination, and determines the processes that formed them. It was built by Arizona State University. See the main Mini-TES article.

The cameras are mounted 1.5 meters high on the Pancam Mast Assembly. One motor turns the assembly horizontally a whole revolution. Another points the cameras vertically, at most straight up or down. A third motor points the Mini-TES, up to 30° above the horizon and 50° below. The assembly was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colorado, as was the High-Gain Antenna Gimbal (HGAG). Mineralogy is an earth science that involves the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals. ... Spectrometer A spectrometer is an optical instrument used to measure properties of light over a specific portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, typically used in spectroscopic analysis to identify materials. ... Arizona State University (ASU) is a public research institution of higher education and research with campuses located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. ... An image of a Mini-TES[1] An image from Mini-TES onboard the Mars Exploration Rovers. ... Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. ... Boulder is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County, Colorado, in the United States. ...

Four monochromatic hazard cameras (Hazcams) are mounted on the rover's body, two in front and two behind. There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ...

The instrument deployment device (IDD), also called the rover arm, holds the following:

• Mössbauer spectrometer (MB) MIMOS II, developed by Dr. Göstar Klingelhöfer at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, is used for close-up investigations of the mineralogy of iron-bearing rocks and soils. ^[20]
• Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS), developed by the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz, Germany, is used for close-up analysis of the abundances of elements that make up rocks and soils.^[21]
• Magnets, for collecting magnetic dust particles, developed by Jens Martin Knudsen's group at the Niels Bohr Institute, Copenhagen. The particles are analyzed by the Mössbauer Spectrometer and X-ray Spectrometer to help determine the ratio of magnetic particles to non-magnetic particles and the composition of magnetic minerals in airborne dust and rocks that have been ground by the Rock Abrasion Tool. There are also magnets on the front of the rover, which are studied extensively by the Mössbauer spectrometer.
• Microscopic Imager (MI) for obtaining close-up, high-resolution images of rocks and soils. Development was led by Ken Herkenhoff's team at the USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
• Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT), developed by Honeybee Robotics, for removing dusty and weathered rock surfaces and exposing fresh material for examination by instruments on-board.

The robotic arm is able to place instruments directly up against rock and soil targets of interest. A Mössbauer spectrometer is a device that performs Mossbauer spectroscopy, or a device that uses the Mössbauer effect to determine the chemical environment of a sample, typically Iron. ... This article is about the inventor of printing in Europe; for other uses, see Guttenberg (disambiguation) and Gutenberg. ... Mainz is a city in Germany and the capital of the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. ... An alpha particle is deflected by a magnetic field Alpha radiation consists of helium-4 nuclei and is readily stopped by a sheet of paper. ... In the NATO phonetic alphabet, X-ray represents the letter X. An X-ray picture (radiograph) taken by Röntgen An X-ray is a form of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength approximately in the range of 5 pm to 10 nanometers (corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 PHz... APXS is an acronym for Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer, a device that analyses the elements of a sample from the Alpha particles and X-Rays emitted. ... The Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (in German: Max Planck Institut für Chemie - Otto Hahn Institut) is a scientific research institute under the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft. ... Mainz is a city in Germany and the capital of the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. ... Jens Martin Knudsen (October 12, 1930 - February 17, 2005) was an internationally renowned Danish astrophysicist, particularly well known in his home country, Denmark. ... The Niels Bohr Institute for Astronomy, Physics and Geophysics is part of the Faculty of Science at the University of Copenhagen. ... For other uses, see Copenhagen (disambiguation). ... In the NATO phonetic alphabet, X-ray represents the letter X. An X-ray picture (radiograph) taken by Röntgen An X-ray is a form of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength approximately in the range of 5 pm to 10 nanometers (corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 PHz... The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is a scientific agency of the United States government. ... The USGS Shoemaker Center for Astrogeology, located on the campus of the Flagstaff Science Center, is the home of the Astrogeology Research Program Displays in the entryway of the USGS Shoemaker Center for Astrogeology, featuring Grover, a working model of the lunar rovers used to train astronauts in Flagstaff, Arizona. ...

Naming of Spirit and Opportunity

Sofi Collis, contest winner.

The Spirit and Opportunity rovers were named through a student essay competition. The winning entry was by Sofi Collis, a third-grade Russian-American student from Arizona. Image File history File links Sofi_Collis. ... Image File history File links Sofi_Collis. ...

I used to live in an Orphanage.
It was dark and cold and lonely.
At night, I looked up at the sparkly sky and felt better.
I dreamed I could fly there.
In America, I can make all my dreams come true.....
Thank-you for the "Spirit" and the "Opportunity"

— Sofi Collis, age 9

Prior to this, during the development and building of the rovers, they were known as MER-1 (Opportunity) and MER-2 (Spirit). Internally NASA also uses the mission designations MER-A (Spirit) and MER-B (Opportunity) based on the order of landing on Mars (Spirit first then Opportunity).

SAP

The NASA team uses a software application called SAP to view images collected from the rover, and to plan its daily activities. There is a version available to the public called Maestro. The NASA team uses a software application called SAP to view images collected from Mars Exploration Rovers, and to plan its daily activities. ...

See also

• Exploration of Mars
• Space exploration
• Atmospheric reentry
• Syd Lieberman, official storyteller of the Mars Exploration Mission
• Lunokhod programme (Lunar rovers)

Image File history File links Animation2. ... Computer-generated image of one of the two Mars Exploration Rovers which touched down on Mars in 2004. ... Space exploration is the physical exploration of outer space, both by human spaceflights and by robotic spacecraft. ... “Reentry” redirects here. ... Syd Lieberman is a world-famous storyteller. ... Lunokhod series Soviet Moon exploration robot vehicle A panorama shot from Lunokhod 1 Lunokhod (Russian for Moon walker) 1 and 2 were a pair of unmanned lunar rovers landed on the Moon by the Soviet Union. ...

References

is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 196th day of the year (197th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 196th day of the year (197th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 242nd day of the year (243rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 289th day of the year (290th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 289th day of the year (290th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... For other uses, see September (disambiguation). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 196th day of the year (197th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 203rd day of the year (204th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ...

Further reading

• Roving Mars: Spirit, Opportunity, and the Exploration of the Red Planet by Steve Squyres (published August 2005; ISBN 1-4013-0149-5)
• Postcards from Mars: The First Photographer on the Red Planet by Jim Bell (published November 2006; ISBN 0-5259-4985-2)
• Technical papers by JPL Robotics Engineers
• Interview: The driver behind NASA's Mars Rovers from Australian PC World

Steve Squyres Steven W. Squyres (b. ... 2005 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → Deaths in August August 31: Michael Sheard August 26: Lord Fitt August 24: Jack Slipper August 24: Maurice Cowling August 24: Dr. Tom Pashby August 23: Brock Peters August 22: Lord Lane August 21: Robert Moog August... Jim Bell (born 1958) is an American crypto-anarchist who created the idea of arranging for anonymously-sponsored assassination payments via the Internet, which he called assassination politics.[1] Bell had been involved in a tax dispute with the Internal Revenue Service, and came up with the idea of using... 67 die and about 300,000 people are affected by floods in Ethiopias Somali Region of Ogaden after the Shabelle River bursts its banks. ...

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NASA

• NASA JPL's MER website
• Spirit Mission Profile
• Opportunity Mission Profile
• Mars24, a Java application for Mars/Earth time conversion

Java language redirects here. ...

Instrumentation

• Athena Science Payload, Cornell University
• Pancam instrument web page, Cornell University
• Microscopic Imager, USGS Astrogeology Research Program
• Mini-Thermal Emission Spectrometer ("miniTES") , Arizona State University
• Mössbauer Spectrometer, Johannes Gutenberg University
• Rock Abrasion Tool, Honeybee Robotics

Other

• Science, 6 August 2004 - Scientific papers from the first phase of the Spirit mission
• Mars Rover Manual: Centralized resource for all publicly released rover technical details
• MER Analysts Notebook (access to the MER scientific data set)
• Scientific American Magazine (March 2004 Issue) The Spirit of Exploration