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Mars Exploration Rover - Spirit

MER- Spirit

One of two rovers launched in 2003 to explore Mars and search for signs of past life, Spirit far outlasted her planned 90-day mission.

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Mission Statistics

Launch Date

Jun 10, 2003

Type

Lander/Rover

Target

Mars

Status

Past

About the mission

One of two rovers launched in 2003 to explore Mars and search for signs of past life, Spirit far outlasted her planned 90-day mission. Among her myriad discoveries, Spirit found evidence that Mars was once much wetter than it is today and helped scientists better understand the Martian wind.

In May 2009, the rover became embedded in soft soil at a site called "Troy" with only five working wheels to aid in the rescue effort. After months of testing and carefully planned maneuvers, NASA ended efforts to free the rover and eventually ended the mission on May 25, 2011.

› Learn more about Spirit's twin rover, Opportunity

Instruments

  • Panoramic camera (Pancam)
  • Microscopic Imager (MI)
  • Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES)
  • Mossbauer Spectrometer (MB)
  • Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS)
  • Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT)
  • Magnet arrays
  • Hazard Avoidance Cameras (Hazcams)
  • Navigation Cameras (Navcams)
› Mission Website
› Fact Sheet
› Spirit Information on National Space Science Data Center
› Spirit Information on Solar System Exploration
› Mars Exploration Rovers on Facebook
› Mars Exploration Rovers on Twitter

Explore Other Missions

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Mars Odyssey

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Euclid

Mars Exploration Rover - Opportunity

Aquarius

Mariner 4

CAL

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