Two decades ago, two mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity landed on mars on 3rd and 24th January 2004, respectively to look for evidence that water once flowed on the surface of the Red Planet. Designed to last just 3 months, both the rovers travelled and operated on the mars surface for much longer than the expected duration for years (Spirit operated for over six years while Opportunity remained active for over 14 years). mars Exploration Programme of NASA has four ‘Science Goals’- to determine if mars Ever Supported Life, to understand climate and geology of mars and to prepare for human Planetary missions to mars.
Tvíburaflakkararnir Spirit and Opportunity, mars found evidence that long ago mars was wetter and conditions at mars could have supported microbial life and contributed to understanding geology and climate of mars. They changed our knowledge of mars. Their experiences and their yeoman’s contributions to mars science paved way for future rovers Curiosity and Perseverance.
Sex mars rovers have successfully landed and travelled/operated on Martian yfirborð til þessa. Forvitni og Þrautseigju which landed on Martian surface in 2012 and 2021 respectively are currently active and operational and making contributions to mars vísindi.
Tafla: Mars flakkarar sem lentu vel á yfirborði Mars
| 1. Dvalarmaður (NASA) lenti á Mars 4th júlí 1997; samskipti rofnuðu 27th September 1997. |
| 2. Spirit (NASA) lenti á Mars 3rd janúar 2004; samskipti rofnuðu 22nd Mars 2010. |
| 3. Tækifæri (NASA) lenti á Mars 24th janúar 2004; samskipti rofnuðu 10th Júní 2018. |
| 4. Forvitni (NASA) lenti á Mars 6th ágúst 2012 – Virkt |
| 5. Þrautseigju (NASA & ESA) lenti á Mars á lenti 18th febrúar 2021- Virkt |
| 6. Zhurong (CNSA, Kína) lenti á Mars 14th maí 2021; óvirkt þann 20th Maí 2022. |
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Tilvísanir:
- NASA JPL. Fréttir- 20 árum eftir lendingu: Hvernig tvíburar NASA breyttu vísindum Mars. Sent 17. janúar 2023. Fæst á https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/20-years-after-landing-how-nasas-twin-rovers-changed-mars-science/
- NASA. Mars Exploration Rovers. Fæst kl https://mars.nasa.gov/mer/mission/science/results/
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