images

Mars Exploration Rover - Artist view

by

Steven Hobbs/Novapix

Reference

e-son27-60006

Date

2009-06-02

The sun rises behind one of the Mars Exploration Rovers as it prepares to analyse a rock with its RAT tool. Mars Exploration Rover (MER) is a robotic mission which aims to explore the Martian surface and geology. The mission began with the sending of two twin rovers : MER-A (Spirit), launched on June 10 2003 and landed on January 03 2004 in Gusev crater ; MER-B (Opportunity) launched on July 08 2003 and landed on January 24 2004 at Meridiani Planum.