Spirit Rover on Mars Imaged from Orbit
Explanation:
If you have the right equipment, you can see the Spirit rover currently rolling across
Mars.
The right equipment, however, is currently limited to the
High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment
onboard the
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).
MRO arrived at
Mars
in March and just started science observations of the red planet last month.
Visible in the
above spectacularly high resolution image is the
Spirit rover in the
Columbia Hills of Mars.
Objects as small as one meter are resolved.
Also visible are the tracks made by the
robot explorer and a large plateau of layered rock dubbed
Home
Plate.
MRO will continue to image the
red planet in unprecedented detail,
creating images that will likely be important in better understanding the
geology and weather on Mars,
as well as indicting good candidate landing sites for
future missions to Mars.
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.