![\"Technicians](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ksc-03pd3272orig.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>Technicians do final checks on NASA\u2019s Spirit<\/a> rover in this image from March 28, 2003. The rover \u2013 and its twin, Opportunity \u2013 studied the history of climate and water at sites on Mars where conditions may once have been favorable to life. Each rover is about the size of a golf cart and seven times heavier (about 405 pounds or 185 kilograms) than the Sojourner rover launched on the Mars Pathfinder to Mars mission in 1996.<\/p>\n Spirit and Opportunity were sent to opposite sides of Mars to locations that were suspected of having been affected by liquid water in the past. Spirit was launched first, on\u00a0June 10, 2003. Spirit landed on the Martian surface on Jan. 3, 2004, about 8 miles (13.4 kilometers) from the planned target and inside the Gusev crater. The site became known as Columbia Memorial Station to honor the seven astronauts killed when the space shuttle Columbia broke apart Feb. 1, 2003, as it returned to Earth. The plaque commemorating the STS-107<\/a> Space Shuttle Columbia crew can be seen in the image above.<\/p>\n Spirit operated for 6 years, 2 months, and 19 days, more than 25 times its original intended lifetime, traveling 4.8 miles (7.73 kilometers) across the Martian plains.<\/p>\n Image credit: NASA<\/em><\/p>\n Powered by WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n Get The Details…<\/a> Technicians do final checks on NASA\u2019s Spirit rover in this image from March 28, 2003. The rover \u2013 and its twin, Opportunity \u2013 studied the history of climate and water at sites on Mars where conditions may once have been favorable to life. Each rover is about the size of a golf cart and seven [\u2026] Continue reading
\nMonika Luabeya <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"