On July 7. 2003. the second of NASA's twin Mars Exploration Rovers. named Opportunity.
followed its predecessor on a journey to the Red Planet.
Mer B lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. riding atop a Delta II Heavy rocket.
The more powerful rocket configuration was necessary as Opportunity's launch. which came 27 days after Rover A.
needed more energy to get to Mars since the planet was farther away from Earth.
Opportunity joined Rover A. a-k-a Spirit. at Mars on January 24. 2004.
The Mars Exploration Rover mission is part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program. a long-term effort of robotic exploration.
The Spirit and Opportunity rovers were designed to seek answers about the history of water on Mars
by studying rocks and soils located on opposite sides of the planet.
After landing. Opportunity took panoramic images to help scientists select promising geological targets.
Then. the rover drove to those locations to perform on-site scientific investigations.
Opportunity found great success early.
Within two months. it found evidence that a body of salty water once flowed over the area.
More than seven years into what was planned as a three-month mission. Opportunity has driven more than 20 miles.
which is 50 times farther than the mission's original distance goal.
After accomplishing its prime-mission goals. both rovers continued for years of bonus. extended scientific studies.
Although Spirit stopped communicating with NASA mission controllers in March 2010.
Opportunity continues to actively explore Mars.