Mars Exploration Rovers (Spirit and Opportunity) (NASA, USA): NASA’s Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, landed on Mars in 2004 with a 90-day mission. Opportunity far exceeded expectations, operating for nearly 15 years and traveling over 45 kilometers—the longest off-Earth journey. Designed to search for signs of past water, both rovers found evidence of ancient aqueous environments, including hematite “blueberries” and mineral deposits indicating prolonged water presence. Spirit discovered silica-rich soil, suggesting hydrothermal activity. Their solar-powered mobility and robust design enabled extensive geological surveys across plains and craters. The rovers sent back over 340,000 images, transforming Mars from a distant planet into a tangible, explored world. Their success paved the way for larger rovers like Curiosity and Perseverance. Spirit and Opportunity demonstrated the value of mobile robotics in planetary science, capturing public imagination and proving that long-duration surface missions are possible on Mars.
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