Anatomy of a Rover

In January 2004, Spirit and Opportunity, two identical robotic rovers, entered the martian atmosphere and landed after a seven-month journey from Earth. By the time "Is There Life on Mars?" aired on December 30, 2008, both sojourners had explored their respective landing areas for nearly five years, almost 20 times longer than NASA had planned for at a minimum. The twin rovers have made one intriguing discovery after another, and they appear to be still going strong despite creeping signs of old age. In this interactive, learn more about this hardy pair of robotic geologists and their sophisticated scientific instruments.—Lexi Krock

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© | Created November 2008