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Spirit, also known as MER-A (Mars Exploration Rover-A) or MER-2, is a robotic geologist sent to the planet Mars, via the Delta II 7925-9.5 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 17A (SLC-17A) located in Florida. Touching down on January 4, 2004 at 04:35 Ground UTC some three weeks ahead of its sister rover, Opportunity, Spirit would go on to revolutionize humanity’s understanding of the Red Planet. Late in 2009 Spirit became stuck in the Martian sand and the space agency lost communications with the robot on March 22, 2010. Spirit was given an operational life of 0 days – it was functional for 2,695 days. Photos courtesy: Carleton Bailie
