Date: October 16th 2007

Oct 15, 2007

Dwayne Brown Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1726 dwayne c brown@nasa gov

Guy Webster Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif 818-354-6278 guy webster@jpl nasa gov

RELEASE: 07-208

NASA EXTENDS OPERATIONS FOR ITS LONG-LIVED MARS ROVERS

WASHINGTON - NASA is extending, for a fifth time, the activities of the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity The decision keeps the trailblazing mobile robotic pioneers active on opposite sides of Mars, possibly through 2009 This extended mission and the associated science are dependent upon the continued productivity and operability of the rovers

"We are extremely happy to be able to further the exploration of Mars The rovers are amazing machines, and they continue to produce amazing scientific results operating far beyond their design life," said Alan Stern, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington

The twin rovers landed on Mars in January 2004, 45 months ago, on missions originally planned to last 90 days In September, Opportunity began descending into Victoria Crater in Mars' Meridiani Planum region At approximately a half mile wide and 230 feet deep, it is the largest crater the rover has visited Spirit climbed onto a volcanic plateau in a range of hills that were on the distant horizon from the landing site

"After more than three-and-a-half years, Spirit and Opportunity are showing some signs of aging, but they are in good health and capable of conducting great science," said John Callas, rover project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif

The rovers each carry a suite of sophisticated instruments to examine the geology of Mars for information about past environmental conditions Opportunity has returned dramatic evidence that its area of Mars stayed wet for an extended period of time long ago, with conditions that could have been suitable for sustaining microbial life Spirit has found evidence in the region it is exploring that water in some form has altered the mineral composition of some soils and rocks

To date, Spirit has driven 4 51 miles and has returned more than 102,000 images Opportunity has driven 7 19 miles and has returned more than 94,000 images

Among the rovers' many other accomplishments:

Opportunity has analyzed a series of exposed rock layers recording how environmental conditions changed during the times when the layers were deposited and later modified Wind-blown dunes came and went The water table fluctuated
Spirit has recorded dust devils forming and moving The images were made into movie clips, providing new insight into the interaction of Mars' atmosphere and surface
Both rovers have found metallic meteorites on Mars Opportunity discovered one rock with a composition similar to a meteorite that reached Earth from Mars

JPL manages the rovers for NASA's Science Mission Directorate

For images and information about the rovers, visit:

www nasa gov/rovers

-end-

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