OtterKnow Kids EncyclopediaNASA has sent several amazing rovers to explore Mars! These robot explorers drive around the Red Planet, taking pictures and studying rocks. Each rover has taught us something new and exciting about Mars.
The rovers Spirit and Opportunity landed on Mars in 2004. Curiosity arrived in 2012 and is the size of a small car! The newest rover, Perseverance, landed in 2021 and even brought a tiny helicopter called Ingenuity. These rovers use cameras, drills, and lasers to study Mars rocks and soil. They send their discoveries back to scientists on Earth.
- The Opportunity rover was supposed to work for just 90 days but lasted about 15 years!
- Perseverance is collecting rock samples that a future mission will bring back to Earth.
- The rovers discovered that Mars once had rivers and lakes of water billions of years ago!
