Mars Rover "Spirit" Initial Images


This image taken by the hazard avoidance camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the rover's rear lander petal and, in the background, the Martian horizon. Spirit took the picture right after successfully landing on the surface of Mars.
Brightness enhanced version of the image


This is one of the first images beamed back to Earth shortly after the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit landed on the red planet.


Mosaic of camera images showing the lander and surroundings from the perspective directly above the lander looking down.
Large version of the first image
Brightness enhanced version of the second image

Raw "Thumbnail" Images

Descent Camera Images of the Landing Site


This image, taken by the descent image motion estimation system camera located on the bottom of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's lander, shows a view of Gusev Crater as the lander descends to Mars. The picture is taken at an altitude of 1985 meters. Numerous small impact craters can be seen on the surface of the planet. These images help the onboard software to minimize the lander's horizontal velocity before its bridal is cut, and it falls freely to the surface of Mars.


This image, taken by the descent image motion estimation system camera located on the bottom of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's lander, shows a view of the area around Gusev Crater as the lander descends to Mars. The picture is taken at an altitude of 1690 meters. Numerous small impact craters can be seen on the surface of the planet. These images help the onboard software to minimize the lander's horizontal velocity before its bridal is cut, and it falls freely to the surface of Mars.


This image, taken by the descent image motion estimation system camera located on the bottom of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's lander, shows a view of Gusev Crater as the lander descends to Mars. The picture is taken at an altitude of 1400 meters. Numerous small impact craters can be seen on the surface of the planet. These images help the onboard software to minimize the lander's horizontal velocity before its bridal is cut, and it falls freely to the surface of Mars.


This image, taken previously by the thermal emission spectrometer onboard Mars Global Surveyor, highlights the same cluster of craters captured by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit as it descends to Mars.

Images and captions courtesy NASA/JPL

More Images from Spirit
Comparison of Spirit, Mars Pathfinder, and Viking Panoramas
Press Release on the Landing and First Images - 4 January 2004
Mars Rover "Spirit" home page at NSSDC

[NASA Logo]
Author/Curator:
Dr. David R. Williams, dave.williams@nasa.gov
NSSDCA, Mail Code 690.1
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, MD 20771
+1-301-286-1258

NASA Security and Privacy Statement
NASA Official: Dave Williams, david.r.williams@nasa.gov
Last Updated: 13 January 2003, DRW