Spirit Rover Reaches the Columbia Hills on Mars
Explanation:
The
Spirit robotic rover on
Mars
has now reached the
Columbia Hills on Mars.
Two of the
hills are shown on approach near the beginning of June.
The
above true-color picture shows very nearly what a
human would see from Spirit's vantage point.
The
red color of the
rocks,
hills, and even the
sky
is caused by pervasive rusting sand.
Spirit has now
traveled over 3 kilometers since it
bounced down onto the red planet in January.
The robotic explorer,
controlled and programmed remotely from Earth,
is now investigating a rock called
Pot of Gold.
On the other side of Mars, Spirit's twin
Opportunity
is now inspecting unusual rocks inside a pit dubbed
Endurance crater.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
