News Planetary Science

Roving on the Red Planet

By Ron Cowen

- More than 2 years ago

Last month, NASA selected the landing sites for identical rovers scheduled to begin exploring the Martian surface next January. Both sites show evidence they once contained liquid water and might therefore harbor fossils of primitive life.

ROVER TARGET. Image of Gusev Crater on Mars. Malin Space Science Systems/NASA

The 150-kilometer-wide Gusev Crater will be examined by a rover scheduled for launch May 30 and set to parachute onto the Red Planet on Jan.