Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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January 4, 2009

NASA Marks 5th Year for Mars Rovers
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=214E2FC:A6F02AD83191E1602059AEFA8AAA006DE55ED32ED25AB8F6&
 
Mission managers say the Mars rovers have traveled more than 21
kilometers across the surface of Mars and sent back a quarter-million
images 
The U.S. space agency NASA has marked the fifth anniversary of the
landing of the Mars rover Spirit which touched down on the red planet on
January 3, 2004.Mars Rover The rover Opportunity landed 21 days later.
The two rovers were designed to last three months in the harsh Martian
environment, but they remain operational and are still relaying data
they collect to scientists on Earth. Mission managers say the Mars
rovers have traveled more than 21 kilometers across the surface of Mars
and sent back a quarter-million images. NASA says either rover could
fail without warning, but scientists are pressing ahead with plans for
further exploration. Scientist Steve Squyres says the rovers are
significant not only for the data they collect, but also for being
humanity's first overland expedition on another planet.

Some information for this report was provided by AP.


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