Mars Rover Update | NASA

By Dauna Colter, Science@NASA, Posted 03/26/09

Link: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/26mar_marsroverupdate.htm?list161497

"In January 2004, NASA landed two identical robotic rovers named Spirit and Opportunity on the surface of Mars. The twins were primed for a brief 3-month mission to tell us a story of water and possibly life itself in the planet's past. More than five years later, the dynamic duo are still roving the Red Planet, engaged in a saga of overachievement that has transformed Mars exploration." The amazing durability, reliability of and lessons learned from these rovers will surely impact current commercial strategies to develop similar more advanced systems for lunar applications, including competition for lunar-based prizes.