NASA Spirit and Opportunity for Kids!
© Dina Ely
Since the tragic loss of the shuttle Columbia last year NASA has struggled to continue its work in space and here on Earth. When Spirit made its rough, but successful, landing on the surface of Mars, it brought the life back into our space program.
What is Spirit?
Spirit is the first of several "rovers" that NASA has planned to explore the surface of our neighboring Red Planet. A rover is essentially a robot equipped with lots of cameras and other sensors that allow it to send images and data about objects in space back to Earth.
It took seven months for Spirit to make its way from our planet to Mars. The European Space Agency launched their own rover earlier, which was scheduled to land and make contact on Christmas day. Their probe is lost, but Spirit cut through Mars's atmosphere and bounced around at touchdown on its airbag cushions just as planned.
What does Spirit do?
Spirit's one and only job is to rumble over Mars's rough terrain and take pictures, video, and collect other data to give our scientists information about Mars. Spirit's official mission has yet to begin. It is still undergoing preliminary checks and taking initial readings, and Spirit is expected to roll off its landing pod and onto Martian soil on January 14th or 15th. Spirit will be joined by another rover as the study progresses. Opportunity, the second rover, is scheduled to land on Mars on January 24th.
The rovers are looking for many things, but particular emphasis has been placed on finding evidence of water on Mars. If such evidence exists, it might help us to understand whether or not life has ever flourished on the planet. Even though Mars is a neighbouring planet, we know very little about it. Spirit, Opportunity, and "Athena" technology they carry, will help us to better understand Mars and its impact on Earth.
How you can participate:
NASA needs your help. The space agency is asking boys and girls around the world to send rocks for study. NASA scientists will study your rock using the kind of equipment Spirit and Opportunity carry, and you'll receive a certificate telling you about your rock. A picture of your rock, along with its information, will also be posted on NASA's web site.
NASA wants a rock no less than 2" large and no more than 6" large (4" being the preferred size). It's important that you wash your rock first to make the job easier for NASA's scientists. You should send your rock along with your name, age, street address, city, state, and zip code to the space agency. For an address and more information, please visit http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/classroom...
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