COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- In the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) landing site sweepstakes, the winners are: Meridiani Planum and Gusev crater.

NASA has concluded that these two touchdown zones on Mars offer the greatest science reward for the soon-to-be launched dual Mars Exploration Rovers.

Each MER robot will examine its landing site for geological evidence of past liquid water activity and past environmental conditions hospitable to life.