At the end of 2002, NASA launched a campaign to name two rovers, inviting primary and secondary school students from all over the United States to provide ideas. It is reported that nearly ten thousand people took part in this activity. Sophie collis, currently in the third grade of primary school, finally stood out as the winner. On the 8th, Sophie collis and O'Keefe, director of NASA, attended the unveiling ceremony of the naming of the rover at the Kennedy Space Center of NASA. In his speech, O'Keefe thanked Sophie collis and praised her name for reflecting the value of the mission undertaken by the two rovers. Opportunity Mars probe was originally scheduled to be launched on June 25th, 2003. However, due to technical problems and bad weather, the launch was postponed five times in a row. On July 7, 2003, the Mars probe Opportunity was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida at 23: 18: 15: 00 Beijing time.
After delaying the launch many times, the American Mars probe Opportunity finally set off smoothly, followed the pioneer Mars probe Spirit, and embarked on a journey to Mars in search of water and traces of life. On June 5438+1October, 2004, NASA announced that the American Mars probe Opportunity successfully landed on the surface of Mars at 5:05+03:05 GMT1October 25th (Beijing time 13: 05).
Stepping on the surface of Mars, looking back at the lander that sent it to the surface of Mars seven days ago, began a three-month exploration mission. The six wheels of Opportunity stepped onto the surface of Mars through the leading edge slope of the lander, and NASA's Spirit probe simultaneously detected the red planets on both sides of Mars. Spirit didn't set foot on the surface of Mars until 12 after landing. The Mars plain where Opportunity landed is rich in hematite, which is usually located in a place with water and high temperature on the earth.
Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory received photos sent back by the Odyssey Mars orbiter, confirming that the rover Opportunity has safely set foot on the land of Mars.
Since June 2004, the rover Opportunity has visited a dune area called Patience in the crater. Its service life is more than 1 times of the original design, but there are some mechanical failures. Opportunity's rock drilling tool got stuck twice. The latest picture of a ditch excavated by the Opportunity Mars probe shows that small particles previously found on the surface of Martian soil also exist inside the Martian soil. In addition, Opportunity also found traces of salt water in the trench, but its specific composition needs more analysis and determination. On the trench wall dug by Opportunity with wheels, there are also small spheres on the surface of Martian soil, but the brightness of its reflected light is obviously higher than that of the small spheres found on the surface before.
At the same time, Spirit in the Gemini probe also plans to dig a ditch to investigate the Martian soil adhering to its wheels. Can be attached to the wheel, indicating that fine Martian soil may be wet. NASA officials said on Thursday that the soil where the two Mars probes are located may contain a small amount of water and salt to form bittern. They can remain liquid at extremely low temperatures.
Unlike the small particles on the soil surface, the small particles found by Opportunity in the soil are shiny, and the reasons are unknown. Scientists say that this difference is not only an optical effect, but also because of different conditions, the attachments outside the two kinds of balls may be different. Scientists believe that there are three possible reasons for the formation of these spherical particles: volcanic eruption, meteorite impact or water flow, all of which are possible.