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February 5th, 2009

NASA's Spirit Advances In Reverse


Spirit and Opportunity Film is in from the hazard avoidance camera on the front of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit which took this image after a drive on the 1,806th Martian day, or sol, (January 31, 2009) of Spirit's mission on the surface of Mars.

Spirit marches backwards The wheel at the bottom right of the image is Spirit's right-front wheel. However, because that wheel no longer turns, Spirit drives backwards dragging that wheel. The drive on Sol 1806 covered about 1 foot or 30 centimeters. The rover team had planned a longer drive, but Spirit stopped short, apparently from the right front wheel encountering the partially buried rock visible next to that wheel, and since there's no tow trucks or auto clubs to come to the rescue, it makes conditions challenging.

The hazard avoidance cameras on the front and back of the rover provide wide-angle views. The hill on the horizon in the right half of this image is Husband Hill. Spirit reached the hill's summit in 2005.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech