Mars Rover "Spirit" Images

This approximate true-color rendering of the central part of the "Columbia Hills" was made using images taken by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit panoramic camera. Scientists plan to use the science instruments on the rover to analyze the composition of rock and soil at the hills," Spirit's planned destination. The images in this mosaic, acquired on sol 149 (June 3, 2004), were taken with the camera's 600, 530, and 480 nanometer filters from three rover positions approximately 300 meters (984 feet) away from the base of the hills.

This false-color image taken by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the rock dubbed "Pot of Gold" (upper left), located near the base of the "Columbia Hills" in Gusev Crater. Scientists are intrigued by this unusual-looking, nodule-covered rock and plan to investigate its detailed chemistry in coming sols. This picture was taken on sol 159 (June 14, 2004). To the right is a set of rocks referred to as "Rotten Rocks" for their resemblance to rotting loaves of bread. The insides of these rocks appear to have been eroded, while their outer rinds remain more intact. These outer rinds are reminiscent of those found on rocks at Meridiani Planum's "Eagle Crater." This image was captured on sol 158 (June 13, 2004).

This image taken by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows a trench dug by the rover on its way toward the "Columbia Hills." Measurements taken of the soil contained in the trench by Spirit's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer showed the presence of sulfur and magnesium. Concentrations of those two elements varied in parallel at different locations in the trench, suggesting that they may be paired as a magnesium-sulfate salt. One possible explanation for these findings is that water percolated through underground material and dissolved out minerals, then as the water evaporated near the surface, it left concentrated salts behind.

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit took the images that make up this 360-degree mosaic anaglyph with its navigation camera on sol 156 (June 11, 2004). The image, projected at a cylindrical perspective, highlights Spirit's arrival at the base of the Columbia Hills. Since landing at Gusev crater, Spirit has put more than 3.4 kilometers (2.1 miles) on its odometer. Much of this can be attributed to the long drives the rover had to undertake to reach these interesting landforms.

This cylindrical-perspective stereo mosaic was created from navigation camera images acquired by NASAÕs Mars Exploration Rover Spirit during Spirit's sol 153, on June 8, 2004. Spirit is pointing toward the base of the "Columbia Hills."

This 360-degree stereo anaglyph of the terrain surrounding NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit on the 148th martian day of the rover's mission inside Gusev Crater, on June 2, 2004, was assembled from images taken by Spirit's navigation camera. The rover's position is Site A61. The view is presented in a cylindrical-perspective projection with geometrical seam correction.

This enhanced false-color mosaic image from the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit panoramic camera shows the view acquired after the rover drove approximately 50.2 meters (165 feet) on the martian afternoon of sol 89 (April 3, 2004). The view shows the direction of the rover's future drive destination. In the distance are the eastern-lying "Columbia Hills." This image was assembled from images in the panoramic camera's near-infrared (750 nanometer), green (530 nanometer), and violet (432 nanometer) filters. The colors have been exaggerated to enhance the differences between cleaner and dustier rocks, and lighter and darker soils.
Full Resolution Version (3.7 Mb)

This cylindrical mosaic taken by the navigation camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit on sol 82 shows the view south of the large crater dubbed "Bonneville." The rover will travel toward the Columbia Hills, seen here at the upper left. The rock dubbed "Mazatzal" and the hole the rover drilled in to it can be seen at the lower left. The rover's position is referred to as "Site 22, Position 32." This image was geometrically corrected to make the horizon appear flat.
Red/Blue 3-D Version

The rim and interior of a crater nicknamed "Bonneville" dominate this 180-degree, false-color mosaic of images taken by the panoramic camera of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit. Spirit recorded this view on the rover's 68th sol, March 12, 2004, one sol after reaching this location. The rover remaining here in part to get this very high-resolution, color mosaic, from which scientists can gain insight about the depth of the surface material at Bonneville and make future observation plans. The light blue object on the far rim of the crater is Spirit's heat shield.
Full Resolution Version

On the 66th martian day, or sol, of its mission, the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit finished a drive and sent back this navigation camera image mosaic revealing "Bonneville" crater in its entirety.

This image shows the patch of soil at the bottom of the shallow depression dubbed "Laguna Hollow" where the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit will soon begin trenching. Scientists are intrigued by the clustering of small pebbles and the crack-like fine lines, which indicate a coherent surface that expands and contracts. A number of processes can cause materials to expand and contract, including cycles of heating and cooling; freezing and thawing; and rising and falling of salty liquids within a substance. This false-color image was created using the blue, green and infrared filters of the rover's panoramic camera. Scientists chose this particular combination of filters to enhance the heterogeneity of the martian soil.

This image shows the shallow depression dubbed "Laguna Hollow" before the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit drove into it to sample its bed of fine sediments on the 45th sol or day, of its mission (Feb. 18, 2004). The hollow provides scientists with a laboratory for studying the atmospheric processes that shaped Mars because, in contrast to surrounding rocky terrain, it contains windblown dust and possibly salty clumps of soil. Spirit is scheduled to dig a trench at the bottom of "Laguna Hollow" on sol 47. The image was taken by the rover's panoramic camera.

In the distance stand the east hills, which are closest to the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit in comparison to other hill ranges seen on the martian horizon. The top of the east hills are approximately 2 to 3 kilometers (1 to 2 miles) away from the rover's approximate location. This image was taken on Mars by the rover's panoramic camera.

This 360-degree mosaic panorama image, taken by the navigation camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, includes a view of the lander. The lander is located to the south-southwest of the rover, which is moving toward a crater nicknamed "Bonneville. Sleepy Hollow can be seen to the right of the lander. As of Sol 44, which ended on February 17, 2004, the rover had moved a total of 106.6 meters (350 feet) since leaving the lander on January 15, 2004. This image was taken on Sol 39 (February 11, 2004).

This is a composite red-green-blue image of the rock called White Boat. It is the first rock target that Spirit drove to after finishing a series of investigations on the rock Adirondack. White Boat stood out to scientists due to its light color and more tabular shape compared to the dark, rounded rocks that surround it.

Images showing the hole drilled in Adirondack by the Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT), and the RAT next to Adirondack where it was first used to remove dust from the surface, as shown in the before and after images.

This image mosaic taken by the panoramic camera onboard the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the rover's landing site, the Columbia Memorial Station, at Gusev Crater, Mars. This spectacular view may encapsulate Spirit's entire journey, from lander to its possible final destination toward the east hills. On its way, the rover will travel 250 meters (820 feet) northeast to a large crater approximately 200 meters (660 feet) across, the ridge of which can be seen to the left of this image. To the right are the east hills, about 3 kilometers (2 miles) away from the lander. The picture was taken on the 16th martian day, or sol, of the mission (Jan. 18/19, 2004). A portion of Spirit's solar panels appear in the foreground. Data from the panoramic camera's green, blue and infrared filters were combined to create this approximate true color image.

Full Resolution Version

Image of the rock nicknamed "Adirondack" and an image of the rover arm moving towards it.

Views of Spirit Rollout Onto the Surface of Mars

Views from the Spirit Rover after rollout onto the martian surface looking forward, looking back at the landing platform, and the landing platform in 3D

Full Panorama of Landing Site

Views of the Airbag Drag Marks near Spirit

(Left) A three-dimensional color model created using data from the Mars Exploration Rover's panoramic camera shows images of airbag drag marks on the martian surface. The triangular rock in the upper left corner is approximately 20 centimeters (8 inches) tall. The meatball-shaped rock in the upper right corner is approximately 10 centimeters (4 inches) tall. The dark portion of the surface, or "trough" is approximately 1 centimeter (0.4 inches) deep at its deepest point.

(Right) This section of the first color image from the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has been further processed to produce a sharper look at a trail left by the one of rover's airbags. The drag mark was made after the rover landed and its airbags were deflated and retracted. Rocks were also dragged by the airbags, leaving impressions and "bow waves" in the soil. The mission team plans to drive the rover over to this site to look for additional clues about the composition of the martian soil.

Image from the Landing Site Looking Southwest

This image mosaic taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's panoramic camera shows a new slice of martian real estate southwest of the rover's landing site. The landscape shows little variation in local topography, though a narrow peak only seven to eight kilometers away is visible on the horizon. A circular depression, similar to the one dubbed Sleepy Hollow, can be seen in the foreground. Compared to the Viking and Pathfinder landing sites the terrain at Gusev Crater, Spirit's landing site, is flat and speckled with a sparse array of rocks.
(Full Resolution Image - 2.8 Mb)

Image from Landing Site Looking North

(Full Resolution Image - 4.2 Mb)

Stereo Image of Gusev Crater

First Color Mosaic From Gusev Crater, Mars

This is the first color image of Mars taken by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit. It is the highest resolution image ever taken on the surface of another planet.
(Full Resolution Image - 2.5 Mb)

First Press Release Images From Gusev Crater, Mars

Improved mosaic image taken by the navigation camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit showing a 360 degree panoramic view of the rover on the surface of Mars.
Brightness enhanced version of the image

Red-blue stereo mosaic image showing a 360 degree panoramic view of the rover on the surface of Mars.

More Images from the Descent and Landing

First Images from "Opportunity" at Meridiani Planum

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 Security and Privacy Statement
NASA Official: Dave Williams, david.r.williams@nasa.gov
Last Updated: 09 march 2005, DRW