← ALL ROVERS
LOCATIONColumbia Memorial Station
LAT-14.57°
LON175.53°
DISTANCE TRAVELED7.73 km
SOLS ACTIVE2,208
7.73
KM TRAVELED
TOTAL DISTANCE
4.80 mi
2,208
SOLS
SURFACE OPERATIONS
128,000
PHOTOS
IMAGES CAPTURED
185
KG
ROVER MASS
408 lbs
0.18 km/h (5 cm/s)
TOP SPEED
MAXIMUM VELOCITY
Spirit is a mars rover by NASA / JPL. Landed January 4, 2004. Operating at Columbia Memorial Station. Has traveled 7.73 km.
ABOUT SPIRIT
Spirit (MER-A) explored Gusev Crater on Mars from January 2004 to March 2010. Designed for a 90-sol mission, it operated for over 6 years and traveled 7.73 km across the Martian surface. Spirit climbed Husband Hill, explored the Columbia Hills, and made key discoveries about Mars’s wet past. Ironically, one of its most important discoveries came when a broken wheel scraped the surface, exposing silica-rich soil indicative of hot springs. Spirit became stuck in soft soil at a site called “Troy” in May 2009, and last communicated on March 22, 2010.
KEY DISCOVERIES
- Evidence of past water at Gusev Crater
- Mineral goethite indicating past wet conditions
- Silica deposits suggesting hot springs or steam vents
- Ancient volcanic activity at Home Plate formation
- Soil composition revealed by stuck wheel scraping surface
TECHNOLOGY & FIRSTS
- Designed for 90 sols, operated for 2,208 sols (6+ years)
- Airbag landing system
- Autonomous navigation capability
- Spirit became a stationary science platform after getting stuck
SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS (9)
Panoramic Camera (Pancam)
Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES)
Moessbauer Spectrometer
Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS)
Microscopic Imager (MI)
Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT)
Magnet arrays
Navigation cameras
Hazard cameras
SPACECRAFT SPECIFICATIONS
Wheels6
Mass185 kg (408 lbs)
Dimensions1.6m long, 2.3m wide, 1.5m tall
Top Speed0.18 km/h (5 cm/s)
PowerSolar panels (1.3 m²) (140W)
CommunicationsUHF relay via Mars orbiters + X-band direct to Earth
Design Life90 sols
Landing DateJanuary 4, 2004
Mission EndMay 25, 2011
ProgramMars Exploration Rover
🚀 LAUNCH MISSION