Mars Rover Opportunity Exploring Possibly Habitable Ancient
Environment This map shows the route driven by NASA's Mars
Exploration Rover Opportunity during a reconnaissance circuit
around an area of interest called "Matijevic Hill" on the rim of
a large crater. CREDIT: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
SAN FRANCISCO — NASA's Mars rover Curiosity may be dominating
the headlines, but its older, smaller cousin has made its way to
a spot on the Red Planet that may have been capable of
supporting life long ago. The Opportunity rover, which landed on
Mars in January 2004 along with its twin, Spirit, is currenlty
studying clay deposits on the rim of the Red Planet's Endeavour
Crater. The clays imply that the area was exposed to relatively
neutral — as opposed to harshly acidic or basic — water long
ago, researchers said. "This is our first glimpse ever at
conditions on ancient Marsthat clearly show us a chemistry that
would've been suitable for life at the Opportunity site,"
Opportunity principal investigator S