Skip Navigation
menu

Images

Opportunity: Landing

Dr. Ed Weiler, associate administrator, Office of Space Science, NASA Headquarters and Mars Exploration Program manager, Dr. Firouz Naderi (right) are delighted with the news of Opportunity's safe entry, descent and landing on Mars.

January 24, 2004

Credit

NASA/JPL-Caltech

ENLARGE

Related

NASA's twin robot geologists, the Mars Exploration Rovers, will launch toward Mars in 2003 in search of answers about the history of water on Mars. The rovers will be targeted to sites that appear ...
More
NASA's twin robot geologists, the Mars Exploration Rovers, will launch toward Mars in 2003 in search of answers about the history of water on Mars. The rovers will be targeted to sites that appear to have been affected by liquid water in the past. They will drive to various locations to perform on-site scientific investigations over the course of their 90-day missions. This mission is part of NASA's long-term effort of robotic exploration of the red planet. For more information, please visit our website at: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mer/
Mars Exploration Rovers Artist's Concept 3
NASA Associate Administrator for Science Thomas Zurbuchen addressed the Opportunity rover team inside Mission Control at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, a few hours before...
More
NASA Associate Administrator for Science Thomas Zurbuchen addressed the Opportunity rover team inside Mission Control at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, a few hours before the team made its last attempts to listen for the rover’s signal from Mars. The image was taken on Feb. 12, 2019.
Addressing the Opportunity Team
This image highlights the bumpy terrain surrounding the rover.
More
This image highlights the bumpy terrain surrounding the rover.
Spirit Spies Its Shadow
This image from the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's panoramic camera is an approximate true-color rendering of the exceptional rock called "Berry Bowl" in the "Eagle Crater" outcrop.
More
This image from the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's panoramic camera is an approximate true-color rendering of the exceptional rock called "Berry Bowl" in the "Eagle Crater" outcrop.
Discovery Served Up in a Bowl
The designated landing site for the second Mars Exploration Rover mission is Meridiani Planum, seen here in its geological context from NASA Viking images.
More
The designated landing site for the second Mars Exploration Rover mission is Meridiani Planum, seen here in its geological context from NASA Viking images.
Opportunity's Landing Site: Meridiani-plain
This image from the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's rear hazard identification camera shows the rover's hind view of the lander platform, its nest for the past 12 sols, or martian days. The rover i...
More
This image from the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's rear hazard identification camera shows the rover's hind view of the lander platform, its nest for the past 12 sols
Spirit Looks Back (3-D)
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its panoramic camera to record this eastward horizon view on the 2,407th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars (Oct. 31, 2010).
More
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its panoramic camera to record this eastward horizon view on the 2,407th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars (Oct. 31, 2010).
East Rim of Endeavour Crater in Opportunity's View, Sol 2407
Dr. Steve Squyres, principal investigator for the science instruments on both Mars Exploration Rovers, celebrates as the team witnesses the first images sent back from Spirit.
More
Dr. Steve Squyres, principal investigator for the science instruments on both Mars Exploration Rovers, celebrates as the team witnesses the first images sent back from Spirit.
Spirit: First Images
This bird's-eye view combines a self-portrait of the spacecraft deck and a panoramic mosaic of the Martian surface as viewed by the Spirit rover.
More
This bird's-eye view combines a self-portrait of the spacecraft deck and a panoramic mosaic of the Martian surface as viewed by the Spirit rover.
Still Shining After All This Time
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity recorded this view of the summit of "Cape Tribulation," on the western rim of Endeavour Crater on the day before the rover drove to the top.
More
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity recorded this view of the summit of "Cape Tribulation," on the western rim of Endeavour Crater on the day before the rover drove to the top. This crest is about 440 feet higher in elevation than the plain surrounding the crater.
Opportunity's Approach to 'Cape Tribulation' Summit
This graphic compares atmospheric opacity in different Mars years from the point of view of NASA’s Opportunity rover. 
More
This graphic compares atmospheric opacity in different Mars years from the point of view of NASA’s Opportunity rover.
Atmospheric Opacity from Opportunity's Point of View
This is the 3-D anaglyph showing a microscopic image taken of soil featuring round, blueberry-shaped rock formations on the crater floor at Meridiani Planum, Mars. This image was taken on the 13th ...
More
This is the 3-D anaglyph showing a microscopic image taken of soil featuring round, blueberry-shaped rock formations on the crater floor at Meridiani Planum, Mars
"Berries" on the Ground 2 (3-D)
JPLers pounded the pavement in celebration of a Mars marathon milestone. Opportunity rover took 11 years and 2 months to clock 26.2 miles. The team's time was considerably less.
More
JPL Runners Celebrate Mars Marathon
JPL Runners Celebrate Mars Marathon
These two images from 10 days apart show that dust was removed from the panoramic camera's calibration target on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit.
More
These two images from 10 days apart show that dust was removed from the panoramic camera's calibration target on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit.
Before and After a Cleaning Event on Spirit
NASA's Opportunity rover celebrates 8th anniversary on Mars.
More
Opportunity on Mars: Eight years and counting
Opportunity on Mars: Eight years and counting
On the horizon in the right half of this panoramic view is an area of Mars informally named "Matijevic Hill," in commemoration of an influential rover-team leader.
More
On the horizon in the right half of this panoramic view is an area of Mars informally named "Matijevic Hill," in commemoration of an influential rover-team leader.
'Matijevic Hill' on Rim of Mars' Endeavour Crater, Right View
View the many unique areas that the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity traveled during its 11 year historic journey. (Audio: music only)
More
11 Years and Counting: Opportunity on Mars
11 Years and Counting: Opportunity on Mars
This March 21, 2016, image from the navigation camera on NASA's Mars rover Opportunity shows streaks of dust or sand on the vehicle's rear solar panel after a series of drives during which the rove...
More
This March 21, 2016, image from the navigation camera on NASA's Mars rover Opportunity shows streaks of dust or sand on the vehicle's rear solar panel after a series of drives during which the rover was pointed steeply uphill. The tilt and jostling of the drives affected material on the rover deck.
Streaks on Opportunity Solar Panel After Uphill Drive
This stereo view from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows "Lunokhod 2 Crater," which lies south of "Solander Point" on the west rim of Endeavour Crater. Lunokhod 2 Crater is approximate...
More
This stereo view from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows "Lunokhod 2 Crater."
'Lunokhod 2' Crater on Mars (Stereo)
In late November 2005 while descending "Husband Hill," Spirit took the most detailed panorama so far of the "Inner Basin," one of the rover's target destination.
More
In late November 2005 while descending "Husband Hill," Spirit took the most detailed panorama so far of the "Inner Basin," one of the rover's target destination.
Descent from the Summit of 'Husband Hill'
NASA's Opportunity Mars rover passed near this small, relatively fresh crater in April 2017, during the 45th anniversary of the Apollo 16 mission to the moon. The rover team chose to call it "Orion...
More
NASA's Opportunity Mars rover passed near this small, relatively fresh crater in April 2017, during the 45th anniversary of the Apollo 16 mission to the moon. The rover team chose to call it "Orion Crater," after the Apollo 16 lunar module. The rover's Panoramic Camera (Pancam) recorded this view.
Mars Rover Opportunity's View of 'Orion Crater'
This is the Spirit panoramic camera's "Lookout" panorama, acquired on the rover's 410th to 413th martian days, or sols (Feb. 27 to Mar. 2, 2005).
More
This is the Spirit panoramic camera's "Lookout" panorama, acquired on the rover's 410th to 413th martian days, or sols (Feb. 27 to Mar. 2, 2005).
Lookout Panorama' from Spirit
NASA discussed the status of its Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Opportunity in a media briefing at 11 a.m. PST (2 p.m. EST) Wednesday, Feb. 13, from the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pa...
More
NASA discussed the status of its Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Opportunity in a media briefing at 11 a.m. PST (2 p.m. EST) Wednesday, Feb. 13, from the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.
NASA Shares Results of Effort to Recover Mars Rover
This view captured by Spirit called "Legacy" panorama, combines images taken between the landing site and the rim of "Bonnevile Crater."
More
This view captured by Spirit called "Legacy" panorama, combines images taken between the landing site and the rim of "Bonnevile Crater."
Legacy Panorama on Spirit's Way to 'Bonneville'
The rock abrasion tool on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit ground two holes in a relatively soft rock called "Wooly Patch" near the base of the "Columbia Hills" inside Gusev Crater on Mars.
More
The rock abrasion tool on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit ground two holes in a relatively soft rock called "Wooly Patch" near the base of the "Columbia Hills" inside Gusev Crater on Mars.
Two Holes in 'Wooly Patch' (False Color)

You Might Also Like

Through Nov. 1, K-12 students in the U.S. are encouraged to enter an essay contest to name NASA's next Mars rover.
More
NASA Invites Students to Name Mars 2020 Rover
NASA Invites Students to Name Mars 2020 Rover
The rover recently drilled two samples, and both showed the highest levels of clay ever found during the mission.
More
NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Finds a Clay Cache
NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Finds a Clay Cache
For the first time, NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter has caught the Martian moon Phobos during a full moon phase. Each color in this new image represents a temperature range detected by Odyssey's infrared camera.
More
Why This Martian Full Moon Looks Like Candy
Why This Martian Full Moon Looks Like Candy
Nominees include four JPL projects: the solar system and climate websites, InSight social media, and a 360-degree Earth video. Public voting closes April 18, 2019.
More
NASA Garners 7 Webby Award Nominations
NASA Garners 7 Webby Award Nominations
NASA's Opportunity Mars rover mission is complete after 15 years on Mars. Opportunity's record-breaking exploration laid the groundwork for future missions to the Red Planet.
More
NASA's Opportunity Rover Mission on Mars Comes to End
NASA's Opportunity Rover Mission on Mars Comes to End
In deploying its first instrument onto the surface of Mars, the lander completes a major mission milestone.
More
NASA's InSight Places First Instrument on Mars
NASA's InSight Places First Instrument on Mars