The 'Journey of a Thousand Miles' is the First Few Seconds

The second of two Mars Exploration Rovers, Opportunity, is targeted for launch on Saturday, June 28 at 11:56:16 p.m. EDT. Liftoff will occur aboard the Boeing Delta II Heavy launch vehicle from Pad B at Space Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A second launch opportunity exists at 12:37:59 a.m. EDT, if necessary.

Should launch be delayed by 24 hours, the two launch times available are 11:46:14 p.m. and 12:28:07 a.m. EDT. The window of the planetary launch period  extends through July 15.

Opportunity will reach Mars on January 25, 2004. Together the two MER rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, seek to determine the history of climate and water at two sites on Mars where conditions may once have been favorable to life.

The rovers are identical. Each rover carries five scientific instruments including a panoramic camera and microscope, plus a rock abrasion tool that will grind away the outer surfaces of rocks to expose their interiors for examination. The rovers each weigh approximately 400 pounds.

They will navigate themselves around obstacles as they drive across the Martian surface, traveling up to about 130 feet each Martian day. Each rover's prime mission is planned to last three months on Mars.

FMI: www.nasa.gov