# Spirit lands on Mars successfully



## Brian G Turner (Jan 4, 2004)

Good to wake up this morning to see that Spirit appears to have landed safely on Mars. Still no sound frmo Beagle 2, but I'm hopeful that the orbiter will find something soon.

Anyway, at least we've got something to watch out for this week, no matter the news from the British team. The space race has landed again no Mars, and hopefully we can benefit again from the ongoing exploration of our Solar system. 

Here's the NASA site:

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/

and if you'd like to download those animations they keep showing on the News:

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/video/animation.html

As for the story itself - here's how the BBC cover it:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3365371.stm

excerpt:



> *A Nasa space probe has landed on Mars to seek signs that the planet was once capable of supporting life. *
> 
> 
> The six-wheeled rover Spirit parachuted on to the planet's surface at about 0435 GMT on Sunday.
> ...


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## Allyn (Jan 6, 2004)

This is indeed great news.  I saw it, um, whenever it happened and was happy.  We have atleast 1 successful landing on mars, and some great pictures of it, even though they were only b&w last I checked.


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## Brian G Turner (Jan 6, 2004)

Can't wait for the colour pics. I'll post them here when they're online.


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## Brian G Turner (Jan 6, 2004)

First colour picture released from Spirit is here:

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20040106a/PIA04995_br.jpg

And here's a smaller thumbnail:


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## littlemissattitude (Jan 6, 2004)

I just love the photographic proof that Mars is a _place_, not just a point of light in the sky.  Just more incentive to get there ourselves to join our machines, as far as I can see.


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## Allyn (Jan 7, 2004)

looks kinda desolate there.

Although my dad brought up a good point, what is with all the small rocks everywhere?


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## littlemissattitude (Jan 7, 2004)

Allyn said:
			
		

> looks kinda desolate there.
> 
> Although my dad brought up a good point, what is with all the small rocks everywhere?


Well, for one thing, it proves that Mars is now, or at least has been in the past, a geologically active planet.  Something has been moving those rocks around, breaking the larger ones up into smaller ones.  Might have been crustal movements, might have been wind, might have been water action...and probably a combination of all three at some time or another.


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## Brian G Turner (Jan 7, 2004)

Didn't Spirit target a plain?


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## littlemissattitude (Jan 8, 2004)

I said:
			
		

> Didn't Spirit target a plain?


I believe it landed in a crater that the scientists think once held a lake.


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## Incognito (Jan 14, 2004)

There's a nice panoramic pic at the BBC of the site:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3394295.stm

excerpt:



> *The US space agency Nasa has unveiled a list of targets on the Martian surface which it plans to explore using its robot rover Spirit. *
> 
> 
> Areas earmarked for investigation include a nearby crater, where a meteorite may have exposed some of Mars's mysterious underground geology.
> ...


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## Brian G Turner (Jan 25, 2004)

Of course, we all now know what happened next:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3424835.stm

excerpt:



> *The US space agency says it may take days, even weeks, to get its Martian rover Spirit back into action. *
> 
> 
> The probe had short contacts with Earth on Friday, sending some engineering data that mission staff can now use to try to diagnose and fix its problems.
> ...


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