Opportunity Rover at 12

It was 12 years ago yesterday, Jan 24, that NASA's MER-B (Mars Explorer Rover B) aka Opportunity descended into Eagle crater on Mars. Minutes after the landing the Rover began its climb out of the crater to start its mission to analyze rocks and soil for past water activity. That mission was suppose to last a mere 90 days but has exceeded all expectations by 11 years and 9 months so far.

“Twelve years is a very long time to have this sort of a continuous presence,” said Matt Golombek, Mars rovers project scientist. “For a science team to be this involved, on a daily basis, for this long on Mars, is pretty much unprecedented.”

In the 12 years the Rover has been roam the Red Planet we have come to know Mars is much different than the barren planet we always thought it was. Opportunity and the Spirit Rover, that proceeded it by 3 weeks, have shown us signs that Mars once had an atmosphere, unusual rock formations, and much more than NASA ever expected to find on our nearest planetary neighbor.

Opportunity's journey was scheduled to start on June 28. 2003 but was delayed because of bad weather. It was then reschedule and started on the early hours of July 7, 2003 when a Delta II rocket was wheeled out to launch center 17b at Cape Canaveral. At 3:18 UTC (July 6, 2003 10:18 pm EST) the engines on the rocket ignited as the rocket lifted off the platform. The rocket with the Boeing-built Rover soon cleared the tower on a 6 month journey to Mars.

After its long journey the Rover went into orbit of Mars on Jan 23, 2004. Once in the pre-programmed area the Rover started on its descent to the planets surface. As it near the protective airbag deployed as the rate of descent slowed. At 5:05 UTC the Rover safely touched down inside Eagle crater when it immediately started taking and sending pictures back to Earth.