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Rover 'Spirit' Headed for 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) June 10, 2003, 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.

More: NASA - NASA's 'Spirit' Rises On Its Way To Mars

More: NASA - Where is Spirit Now? Track the progress of Mars Rover Spririt's journey to the Red Planet

Link: NASA - Mars Exploration Rover Mission website

Link: NASA - Girl With Dreams Names Mars Rovers 'Spirit' and 'Opportunity'

Entry posted by HotTopics on Wednesday, June 11, 2003 at 12:00. Filed under MER. The author does not allow comments to this entry.