NASA's 'Spirit' Rises On Its Way To Mars
A NASA robotic geologist named Spirit began its seven-month journey
to Mars at 1:58:47 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (10:58:47 a.m. Pacific
Daylight
Time) today when its Delta II launch vehicle thundered aloft from
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
The spacecraft, first of a twin pair in NASA's Mars Exploration Rover
project, separated successfully from the Delta's third stage about
36 minutes after
launch, while over the Indian Ocean. Flight controllers at NASA's
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., received a signal from the
spacecraft at
2:48 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (11:48 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time)
via the Canberra, Australia, antenna complex of NASA's Deep Space
Network.
All systems are operating as expected.
Spirit will roam a landing area on Mars that bears evidence of a
wet history. The rover will examine rocks and soil for clues to
whether the site may
have been a hospitable place for life. Spirit's twin, Opportunity,
which is being prepared for launch as early as 12:38 a.m. Eastern
Daylight
Time
(9:38 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time) June 24, will be targeted to
a separate site with different signs of a watery past. |
| These are several links to different versions and different sizes of the same compiled video. In reality, there are 8 versions of this video. The video is a compilation of television feeds from CNN, FOX news, and
MSNBC during the launch of the Mars Rover. |
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