Guy Webster 818-354-6278 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, guy.webster@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726 NASA Headquarters, dwayne.c.brown@xxxxxxxx
NEWS RELEASE: 2007-120 October 15, 2007
NASA Extends Operations for its Long-Lived Mars Rovers
"We are extremely happy to be able to further the exploration of Mars. The rovers are amazing machines, and they continue to produce amazing scientific results operating far beyond their design life," said Alan Stern, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington.
The twin rovers landed on Mars in January 2004, 45 months ago, on missions originally planned to last 90 days. In September,
"After more than three-and-a-half years, Spirit and Opportunity are showing some signs of aging, but they are in good health and capable of conducting great science," said John Callas, rover project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
The rovers each carry a suite of sophisticated instruments to examine the geology of Mars for information about past environmental conditions.
To date, Spirit has driven 7.26 kilometers (4.51 miles) and has returned more than 102,000 images.
Among the rovers' many other accomplishments:
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- Spirit has recorded dust devils forming and moving. The images were made into movie clips, providing new insight into the interaction of Mars' atmosphere and surface.
- Both rovers have found metallic meteorites on Mars.
JPL manages the rovers for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in
For images and information about the rovers, visit: www.nasa.gov/rovers .
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