Roving Mars: Spirit, Opportunity and the Exploration of the Red Planet

Abstract

Steve Squyres is the face and voice of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover mission. Squyres dreamed up the mission in 1987, saw it through from conception in 1995 to a successful landing in 2004, and serves as the principal scientist of its $400 million payload. He has gained a rare inside look at what it took for rovers Spirit and Opportunity to land on the red planet in January 2004 - and knows first-hand their findings. Squyres presents how the MER mission was born, covering the politics, mistakes, and confusion that ensued. Squyres shares what it took to get the rovers to the launch pad in time - and finally, the amazing story of Spirit's and Opportunity's journeys to Mars and what is found there.