Postcards from Mars: The Amazing Photos of Opportunity and Spirit Rovers

Opportunity Rover's View of Odyssey Crater

After arriving at the huge Endeavour crater on Mars on Aug. 9, 2011, NASA's Opportunity rover used its panoramic camera (Pancam) to record the images combined into this mosaic view. The view scene shows the "Spirit Point" area of the rim, including a small crater, "Odyssey" on the rim, and the interior of Endeavour beyond.

Opportunity's View Approaching Rim of Endeavour

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its panoramic camera (Pancam) to capture this view of a portion of Endeavour crater's rim after a drive during the rover's 2,676th Martian day, or sol, of working on Mars (Aug. 4, 2011). The drive covered 396 feet (120.7 meters) and put the rover with about that much distance to go before reaching the chosen arrival site at the rim, called "Spirit Point."

Opportunity Rover Travels 20 Miles on Mars

NASA's Mars rover Opportunity took this photo on July 17, 2011. On that day, the rover completed a drive that took its total driving distance on Mars past 20 miles.

Opportunity Rover Headed Toward Spirit Point at Endeavour Crater on Mars

The yellow line on this map shows where NASA's Mars rover Opportunity has driven, as of June 2011, after landing on Mars in January 2004.

Freedom 7 Crater on Mars

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity recorded this view of a crater informally named "Freedom 7." The image combines two frames that Opportunity took with its navigation camera on May 2, 2011.

Mars Rover Opportunity Rests by Santa Maria Crater

NASA's Mars rover Opportunity rests at the southeast rim of Santa Maria crater. NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter snapped this photo on March 1, 2011.

Mars Rover Opportunity Rests by Santa Maria Crater in Close-up

A close-up of the Opportunity rover perched at the southeast rim of Mars' Santa Maria crater.

Rover Wheels on a Gravel Road

Wheel slippage during attempts to extricate NASA's Mars Rover Spirit from a patch of soft ground during the preceding two weeks had partially buried the wheels by the 1,899th Martian day, or sol, of the Spirit's mission on Mars (May 6, 2009). Spirit took

How Long Can This Go On?

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit recorded this fisheye view with its rear hazard-avoidance camera after completing a drive during the 2,169th Martian day, or sol, of Spirit's mission on Mars (Feb. 8, 2010).

Armed and Dangerous

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit recorded this forward view of its arm and surroundings during the rover's 2,052nd Martian day, or sol (Oct. 11, 2009).