mars missions

"Wanted: Gentle space-age dust removal system to clean solar cells without leaving grit behind. Please direct inquiries to NASA."
Frost on Mars

important dates

-mars earthfinder-landed July 4, 1997

-mars global surveyor 1996

-mars pathfinder 1996  lasted 5 times longer than warranty

-mars surveyor launched April 2

-sprit, opportunity launched July 2003, looking for waters

-mars polar Lander 1999

-1964 mariner 4 returned 21 images

-1975 Viking 1 FIRST SUCCESSFUL LANDING

-2009 mars science laboratory till 2010

-2007 phoenix arrival may 25 2008

RoversThe rover standing on Martian terrain

the sprit, solar powered, on mars now! launched 2003 same as the oppertunity

the opportunity, solar powered, on mars now! launched2003 on for 4 years so far 5 cameras

This artist's drawing shows a balloon, shaped like an upside-down teardrop, above a square metallic package representing the science payload. To its right is a flat, streamlined plane with the NASA logo on its wing. Both are on a pale orange background that represents the dust-filled martian atmosphere in which they might fly.

Details

the sprit and opportunity are twins

most rovers are solar powered

possible human exploration by 2020

Spirit : Navigation Camera : Sol 1723image of the mars rover, links to science 1 page

curved line graph of MER key events during launch

Mars

dry, barren, craters, red,

BACTERIA FOUND!

named after roman god of war

MER Image Viewer

Contains the largest mountain known to man

many volcanoes

we could eventually live there

traces of water

2 moons

24 1/2 hours day

-81 degrease F