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Mars Exploration Rovers 2003:

Spirit's First Photographs of the Martian Surface

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Overhead view of Spirit landing site       More of Spirit's color pictures
The first color image by NASA's Mars exploration rover Spirit is the highest resolution picture ever taken of another planet to date.
Image credit: NASA/JPL       click image to enlarge



Overhead view of Spirit landing site
This black-and-white image was the first horizon panorama
sent back to Earth by NASA's Mars exploration rover Spirit.
Parts of the lander are in the foreground.

Image credit: NASA/JPL       click image to enlarge


Columbia astronaut commemoration plaque on Spirit
NASA named Spirit's landing site the Columbia Memorial Station
in honor of the astronauts lost in space February 1, 2003.
Spirit carried a plaque designed by Mars exploration rover
engineers commemorating the space shuttle Columbia astronauts.
This photograph made by Spirit's navigation camera on the
landing site shows the six-inch aluminum plaque mounted on the back of the rover's high-gain antenna.

Image credit: NASA/JPL       click image to enlarge and show surrounding area


Overhead view of Spirit landing site
This black-and-white overhead view by Spirit's navigation camera
is a mosaic of the rover on the surface of Mars. The front of the rover
is up. Retracted airbags are visible beneath the spacecraft.

Image credit: NASA/JPL       click image to enlarge

Overhead view of Spirit landing site
A camera looking down shot this photo of the Gusev Crater
landing area as Spirit descended by parachute to the Martian surface.

Image credit: NASA/JPL       click image to enlarge

An orbiting NASA spacecraft made this photo of Gusev Crater from above
An orbiting NASA spacecraft made this photo
of Gusev Crater from above. The crater is about
the size of the state of Connecticut on Earth.

Image credit: NASA/JPL       click image to enlarge


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NASA Mars History:
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Rover Opportunity 2003
Express 2003
Odyssey 2001
Polar Lander 1999
Climate Orbiter 1998
Deep Space 2 1999
Global Surveyor 1996
Pathfinder Lander 1996
Rover Sojourner 1996
Pathfinder Mission 1996
Viking-1 Lander 1975
Viking-2 Orbiter 1975
Viking-1 Lander 1975
Viking-1 Orbiter 1975
Mariner 9 Orbiter 1971
Mars 3 Lander 1971
Mariner 4 Flyby 1964
Viking Mission 1975
Mars Meteorites - JPL
Explorations Planned:
2003 & Beyond - Goddard
2005 & Beyond - JPL
Mars Exploration - JPL
Plans to Explore Planets

Solar System:
Solar System - JPL
Welcome to the Planets - JPL
Planetary Photojournal - JPL
Mars - Athena - NASA Ames
Solar System Tour - BBC
Mars - New York Times
Windows...Universe - UMich
Mars - Apollo Society
Planetary Society
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The Nine Planets
Planet Mars Company
Solar System - STO
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Artist conception of Mars with water four billion years ago
NASA CONCEPTION OF MARS WITH
WATER FOUR BILLIONS YEAR AGO
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