When NASA sent two mechanical rovers - 'Opportunity' and 'Spirit' - to Mars in 2004, it marked a seemingly simple and easy mission: touch down on the surface, quickly comb the area for water, document findings, and return anywhere from 90 days to six months later. But the outing defied everyone's expectations by stretching to five years, and then six. Over this window of time, the mission grew and expanded its geographic focus, and quickly turned into one of the most remarkable and ambitious space adventures in history, as ...
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When NASA sent two mechanical rovers - 'Opportunity' and 'Spirit' - to Mars in 2004, it marked a seemingly simple and easy mission: touch down on the surface, quickly comb the area for water, document findings, and return anywhere from 90 days to six months later. But the outing defied everyone's expectations by stretching to five years, and then six. Over this window of time, the mission grew and expanded its geographic focus, and quickly turned into one of the most remarkable and ambitious space adventures in history, as the rovers ventured hundreds of miles across plains, over mountains and into craters, demonstrating remarkable longevity and endurance that helped them "cheat death" time and again. This National Geographic documentary follows the history of the rovers from their initial creation at the hands of NASA scientists to their exploits on the Martian surface, and speculates about how much longer they might last. Nathan Southern, Rovi
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