Seven years ago this week, NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover (MER)
Opportunity landed at Meridiani Planum on the surface of the
planet Mars. Incredibly, the robotic rover continues to gather
geological, atmospheric and astronomical data well beyond its
design mission duration of ninety (90) Martian days. Mars is the
4th planet out from the Sun. It has a diameter a little more
than half that of Earth. The duration of a day on Mars is a
little more than that on Earth. However, a Martian year is 88%
longer than a terrestrial year. While nebulous in comparison to
the Earth, Mars has an atmosphere. Atmospheric temperature
ranges from -190F to +98F. Mars has always been a source of
curious speculation by we Earthlings. Does or did Mars ever have
water? Does or did Mars ever have life in any form? The quest to
answer these and related questions has resulted in significant
exploration of the Martian space, atmosphere and surface by
robotic space vehicles sent from the Earth. In 1976, Viking 1
and Viking 2 became the firs