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The Mars Exploration Rovers Update Archives
A comprehensive accounting of the Spirit and Opportunity rovers
From 2004 to 2019, journalist A.J.S. Rayl followed the adventures of the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity for The Planetary Society. Her exclusive coverage is archived here. For an overview of the mission itself, visit our Mars Exploration Rovers mission page.
Opportunity Scores "A 300-Million-Mile, Interplanetary Hole-In-One"
Although it did appear from the very first images returned that the second Mars Exploration Rover had landed inside a small crater when it arrived at Meridiani Planum last Saturday night, that belief was confirmed with further analysis yesterday.
Spirit is "In Recovery"
Spirit stopped transmitting good data last Wednesday, but never went silent. It continued communicating with the MER team and returning good information with which the team is now working.
The Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Lands in "Beautiful, Alien Place!"
Opportunity landed in Meridiani Planum on Mars last night at 9:05 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST) -- and fours hours later sent its first postcards home!
Mars Rover Spirit Upgraded from "Critical" to "Serious"
The specially formed Anomaly Team working overnight to unravel the mystery of what happened last Wednesday that caused the rover’s computer to fall into a reboot loop and stop functioning properly – had by this morning come up with a working hypothesis.
Second Mars Rover Opportunity Fast Approaching Mars
The second Mars Exploration Rover -- Opportunity -- Spirit's identical twin -- is approaching the atmosphere of Mars and is expected to land on the Red Planet tonight around 9:06 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
Spirit Remains in "Intensive Care," But Continues to Radio Home
Spirit 'phoned home' this morning and returned some good engineering data, but the Mars rover remains in
Spirit Suffers "Serious Anomaly," But Continues 'Beeping' Home
Something is wrong with Spirit, but what exactly it is -- and just how serious it is -- the Mars Exploration Rover team isn't sure.
Spirit Discovers Surprises in Martian Soil, but Earth Weather Blocks Commands to Continue Work
Spirit got off to a running start this week, using three of the four instruments on her robotic arm to study a patch of Martian soil, and the football-sized rock Adirondack.
Spirit Ventures Out to First Target
Spirit ventured out yesterday, driving nearly 10 feet (about 3 meters) to its first target -- a football-sized rock that scientists have dubbed Adirondack. Meanwhile, Spirit's twin, Opportunity, successfully completed its first trajectory correction maneuver (TCM) in four months.
Spirit Extends Arm and Takes First Close-Up Images of Martian Soil
Spirit has extended her robotic arm for the first time to examine a patch of fine-grained Martian soil, and joined forces with the European Space Agency's Mars Express to successfully conduct the first-ever, international, coordinated observation of the planet's atmosphere.
Spirit Hits the -- Martian -- Road!
Spirit gets 6 wheels on soil. For some of the team members, this was the real landing.
Let's Roll: Spirit Poised to Cruise onto Martian Surface
Spirit is ready to roll.
Spirit Begins Maneuver to Roll onto Surface; Mars Rover will "Head for the Hills"
As Earthlings slept last night, Spirit completed the first part of a three-part maneuver that will take her down the ramp and onto the Martian surface early Thursday morning Earth time.
Mars Rover Spirit Sends First 360-Degree Color Panorama 'Postcard' and Prepares to Roll onto Martian Surface
As Spirit slept soundly after another near-perfect day of picture taking, science gathering, and data relays from Mars, NASA released the first color 360-degree panorama postcard it sent home.
Spirit Set to Roll Off Lander Thursday
Spirit is up -- standing at full height on all six wheels -- and is ready to roll off the lander heading west by northwest, probably sometime early Thursday morning Earth time, according to the latest plan.
Special Feature
In Memoriam
A tribute to members of the Mars Explorations Rovers team who passed away during the mission.