Media Information

 
 
 
Collection:
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection
Title:
Mars Rover Races to Survive
Explanation:
The Martian rover Spirit is now in the race of its life. The rolling robot [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] is trying to reach an outpost to spend the winter, but it keeps getting bogged down [ http://space.newsci…] in soft sand on Mars [ http://www.nasa.gov…]. Earth scientists hope that Spirit [ http://en.wikipedia…] can reach [ http://space.newsci…] a slope on the northern edge of the unusual feature dubbed Home Plate [ http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Home_Plate_ (Mars) ], before the end of this month when northern winter [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] will be phasing in on Mars [ http://en.wikipedia…]. Reaching this slope will likely allow the rover [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] to tilt enough toward the Sun to create a needed increase [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] in the efficiency of its energy-absorbing solar panels [ http://www.wisegeek…]. This map [ http://marsrovers.j…] shows the path of Spirit from July 2004 until just last month.
Credit and Copyright:
facet_when:
July 2004
facet_where:
Mars
facet_where:
Arizona
facet_where:
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_what:
Earth
facet_what:
Sun
facet_what:
Mars
facet_what:
Spirit
facet_what:
Rover
facet_what:
High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE)
facet_when_year:
2004
original url:
UID:
SPD-APOD-ap071212

Mars Rover Races to Survive