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A closer look at Opportunity's landing site, from Roving Mars. Scientists sought to determine whether Mars ever had the capability to sustain life; the form and content of this particular crater led them to determine that it once contained water.
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A view from above shows solar panels on one of the rovers having just been wiped squeaky-clean by a fortuitous, powerful windstorm. No dust on the panels means they can do their job -- collect energy-producing sun rays -- without obstruction.
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Both Spirit and Opportunity rely on solar power to stay "alive," but frequent dust storms and sunless nights present challenges. Eventually, say scientists, the panels will collect so much dust that the robots will no longer be able to "wake up" when the sun rises on Mars, and then their mission will end.
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The rover Opportunity, nicknamed by JPL scientists "Little Miss Perfect" for its perennial good fortune and performance, hums through a tranquil crater on Mars. Its landing on this relatively hazard-free site was considered impossibly lucky; Spirit ended up on a far less welcoming site.
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One of NASA's robot explorers shimmys along a rocky Martian crater, in this scene from Roving Mars
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The rover Spirit plunks down on the Martian surface, protected during landing in a gigantic airbag.
Image: Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures
