Spirit: the story
Spirit · Chapter 1 of 9
10 June 2003
Launch
Spirit left Earth on a Delta II 7925 from Space Launch Complex 17A.
Spirit · Chapter 2 of 9
4 January 2004
Arrival
Airbag landing at Gusev crater.
Spirit · Chapter 3 of 9
2004
Gusev crater
Landed on 4 January 2004 in a crater thought to hold an ancient lake bed.
Spirit · Chapter 4 of 9
2004
Bonneville
Drove about 370 m to Bonneville crater before heading for the Columbia Hills.
Spirit · Chapter 5 of 9
2004–2005
Columbia Hills
Climbed the hills and reached the summit of Husband Hill in 2005.
Spirit · Chapter 6 of 9
19 May 2005
Sunset
Watched the Sun sink below the rim of Gusev crater on its 489th Martian day.
Spirit · Chapter 7 of 9
2007
Silica
A dragging wheel churned up soil that was nearly pure silica.
Spirit · Chapter 8 of 9
2009–2010
Troy
Wheels broke through a crust into soft sand and Spirit could not get free.
Spirit · Chapter 9 of 9
22 March 2010
Last signal
Stuck in soft sand at a spot called Troy since 2009, Spirit could not tilt its panels toward the winter sun. It last called home on 22 March 2010.
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