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Mars Panorama
Mars Panorama
Five Years on Mars
When the NASA rovers Spirit and Opportunity touched down on Mars in 2004, they werent expected to last long--perhaps ninety days, six months at most. But ninety days have stretched into almost five years, and a short-term science mission searching for evidence of water has turned into one of the greatest adventures of the Space Age. The rovers have trekked miles across hostile plains, climbed mountains, ventured in and out of deep craters, gotten stuck in sand dunes, survived dust storms and mechanical failures, and cheated death so often no one will venture a guess as to how much longer they might last. Mark Davis, writer/producer/director of the award-winning 'Mars Dead or Alive' (NGIC/NOVA 2004) and 'Welcome to Mars' (NGIC/NOVA 2005) teams with legendary Mars animator Dan Maas to bring this epic story to the screen in a vivid, high-definition visualization of Spirit and Opportunitys adventures on Mars.
Five Years on Mars , Rejuvenating Spirit , Winter is coming, but Spirit is trapped out of the sustaining light of the sun.
Five Years on Mars , Red Rover: The Top Dog , A little good fortune can go a long way.
Five Years on Mars , Red Rover: The Underdog , In its journey across Mars, Spirit shows it can live up to its name.
Five Years on Mars , Opportunity Rocks , What looked like smooth sailing proved treacherous for the rover Opportunity.
Five Years on Mars,Rover Spirit explores the Columbia Hills after traveling through a desert of broken lava.
Five Years on Mars,Satellite images suggest that liquid water once flowed across the surface of Mars, behind which the Milky Way is visible.
Five Years on Mars,Rover Spirit explores the Columbia Hills after traveling through a desert of broken lava.
Five Years on Mars,The Gusev Crater on Mars, seen from orbit. Satellite images suggest that liquid water once flowed across the planet's surface.
Five Years on Mars,The Gusev Crater on Mars, seen from orbit. Satellite images suggest that liquid water once flowed across the planet's surface.
Five Years on Mars,Rover Opportunity finds rocks that had been soaked in water for a long period of time.
Five Years on Mars,Rover Spirit with dusty solar panels on the north face of Husband Hill.
Five Years on Mars,Rover Opportunity finds rocks that had been soaked in water for a long period of time.
Five Years on Mars,Rover Spirit explores the Columbia Hills after traveling through a desert of broken lava.
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Mars Election 2008
Blue State. Red State. Red Planet?
Two Mars mavericks roving for change.
Spirit and Opportunity are two proven veterans on Mars. Now it's time to choose one as your leader! Will you choose Opportunity, the confident, successful rover who knows how to play the game and keep the mission going? Or will Spirit, the underdog who has turned tragedy into triumph, get your vote?
The choice is yours America. Vote Today!
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Meet the Mars Exploration Rover
Twin rovers Spirit and Opportunity are based on the Mars Exploration Rover platform.
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Mars Exploration Rover By the Numbers
Rover Dimensions: Rover Weight: Power: Science Instruments:
Welcome to the Red Planet
You have just crested the summit of "Husband Hill" at the edge of Gusev Crater. The desolate and rocky Martian horizon surrounds you and stretches in every direction as far as you can see. You've been here for 583 Martian days. Today is Sol 583. On Earth it is August 24, 2005.
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Seeing Through Spirit's Eyes
The 653 separate images required to create this panorama, were acquired by the Spirit Rover's PanCam on August 24 to 27, 2005, shortly after the rover reached the crest of "Husband Hill" inside Mars' Gusev Crater. This was the first time the camera had been used to image the entire rover deck and visible Martian surface from the same position.
NGC gratefully acknowledges the assistance of photographer and virtual-reality panorama enthusiast Hans Nyberg, whose Web site features
more amazing Mars panoramas.
