Launch of the Spirit Rover Toward Mars . ... Credit Copyright: Dan Maas ( Maas Digital ), Ecliptic Enterprises Corporation , Boeing , NASA Explanation: Next stop: Mars . ... The Mars Exploration Rover dubbed Spirit is expected to arrive at the red planet this coming January. Upon arriving , parachutes will deploy to slow the spacecraft and surrounding airbags will inflate. ... The airbags will then deflate, the spacecraft will right itself, and the Spirit rover will prepare to roll onto Mars. ...