Cars on Mars: Roving the Red Planet [Paperback]

In CARS ON MARS readers can follow the course of NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission as twin rovers Spirit and Opportunity explore the Red Planet. Learn how scientists determined that there was once water on Mars and how the Earthbound NASA team resolved problems with the rovers from afar in order to prolong the mission, which continues today.

The author provides insight into scientists’ quest to discover whether life may have or still might exist on Mars. Back matter includes glossary, source notes, and resources.♦ Dubbed Spirit and Opportunity in a naming contest won by a nine-year-old, the two golf-cart-sized rovers sent to Mars in 2003 were designed to last for three months. Battered but game, they're still inching along all these years later. Here Siy not only pays affectionate tribute to their longevity-titling her final chapter Shake off the dust, recharge at the rest area, and continue indefinitely -but also describes and explains in exact detail their most stirring discovery: strong evidence that water once drenched, dribbled, dripped, doused, trickled, gushed, and poured on the Martian surface. An array of large illustrations includes a labeled diagram that identifies all of the rovers' scientific gear, plus color photos, photo composites, and (carefully identified) artists' conceptions of Martian vistas, craters, rocks, and even microscopic features. Closing with plenty of useful end matter and a full-page planetary portrait, this title will sweep readers up in an exploratory misson that has come closer than any other so far to finding sure signs of extraterrestrial life. 
—School Library Journal, starred review


♦ In 2004, two unusual robots landed on Mars: Spirit and Opportunity. Controlled by scientists at NASA, the golf-cart sized, remote-controlled rovers roll slowly across the planet's terrain, collect and analyze geological samples, and transfer data (including pictures) back lC