Roving Mars: Spirit, Opportunity, and the Exploration of the Red Planet

Science News, Sept 3, 2005

ROVING MARS: Spirit, Opportunity, and the Exploration of the Red Planet

STEVE SQUYRES

The landings of the twin Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity in January 2004 marked the culmination of many scientists' dreams and years of hard work. For Squyres, the principal investigator for the Mars Exploration Rover mission, the landings also marked a personal triumph. He captures all the drama of his and others' effort in this riveting and informative first-person account of the creation of these spacecraft. Sending vehicles to Mars is no small feat. Indeed, hurdles of all types faced Squyres and his colleagues, from fighting for budgetary approval from NASA to designing a parachute that would open quickly and be able to withstand thousands of pounds of pressure. Squyres' engaging narrative reveals some of what it was like to work on the mission: the long days and sleepless nights, occasional spats, and clever calculations of hundreds of dedicated scientists and engineers. From scrubbed launches to grainy camera images and deteriorating parts, both rovers overcame a multitude of setbacks to perform better than anyone expected. Even today, a year and a half beyond their planned mission end, Spirit and Opportunity continue to send back valuable data and remarkable images of the Red Planet. Hyperion, 2005, 434 p., color plates, hardcover, $29.95.