“humanity’s first overland expedition on another planet..” – redux
[Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Texas A&M University.] Having completed what once “seemed like a crazy idea”, Nasa have released a video documenting the journey of Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity from Victoria crater to Endeavour crater. A “three-year trek that totaled about 13 miles (21 kilometers) across a Martian plain pocked with smaller craters.” Opportunity arrived on Mars in January 2004 and completed its three-month prime mission in April that year. The rest have been bonus, extended missions. The video is compiled from 309 images taken at the end-of-drive stage of each Martian day that included a drive. Wondrous. [Video credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech]
Nasa’s next Mars Exploration Rover, Curiosity, is expected to launch between 25 Nov and 18 Dec this year. Arrival in Mars’ Gale crater due in August 2012.
It just might find some of that suspected liquid water…
And to complete the journey, here’s a reposted video of a [blue] Martian sunset.
Topic: Science
Region: Global
