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The first geologist on Mars isn't human but a 380-pound automaton called
Spirit that Steve Squyres, the mission's lead scientist, calls the
"monster truck of Mars rovers." Yet before this six-wheeled robot could arrive
safely on the Red Planet, it faced an array of hurdles that make it seem more
mortal than machine. From the moment Spirit entered the martian
atmosphere on January 3, 2004, mission engineers were holding their collective
breath, watching to see if the rover's parachute could survive supersonic
speeds, if its airbags would successfully cushion its landing, and if it would
resume communication after a scheduled interlude. The same held true when
its twin rover, Opportunity, landed in late January 2004.
In this animation, get a stunning impression of Spirit's itinerary, from
its summer 2003 launch at Cape Canaveral, Florida, to its eventual landing and
mission on the Red Planet. To launch the video, choose one of the video links
at left.
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