Rolling Across the Rocky Plains of Mars
Explanation:
You stare out across the rocky plains of Mars.
Before you, in every direction, is dark sand and bright rock.
Although little has changed here for millions of years, no one has ever seen
this view before.
You are being sent on a
long journey to a distant crater, the largest crater in the region.
Your
human overlords
back on
planet Earth wonder if the impact that created
this distant crater might have also uncovered unique clues to the
distant past of Earth's
neighboring planet, clues that might reveal if
life ever existed here.
Breaking the
monotony, visible toward the image center,
an unusual rock sticks out from the landscape.
Quite possibly,
this rock
is not from this world, and you divert to
inspect it.
You are the robotic
Opportunity rover, and you are the eyes for
countless
humans following your trek back on planet Earth.
Rolling about a
football field
a day, you might reach
Endeavour crater sometime in 2012.
If you
survive.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
