From a long-term planning lead for the Mars Exploration Rover Project comes this vivid insider
account of some of NASA's most vital and exciting missions to the Red Planet illustrated with
full-color photographs?a wondrous chronicle of unprecedented scientific discovery and the
search for evidence of life on Mars. ?There are probably just a few of moments in human history
when a small group of humans stood on the margins of a vast new world and it is no stretch of
the romantic imagination that the arrival of two rovers on the surface of another planet was
surely one of them.? Human exploration of Mars is the most ambitious and exciting scientific
goal of the twenty-first century. Few people know as much about this fascinating planet as Dr.
Larry Crumpler. As one of the long-term planning leads for the Mars Exploration Rover Project
he helped control the daily communications between NASA and the rovers roaming the planet to
gather scientific data. Thanks to the Rover Project we now know that the dry red dust of the
planet's surface hides a wet possibly living history and that conditions were present for the
evolution of complex organic life. In this magnificent compendium Dr. Crumpler recounts the
history of the Red Planet from the earliest days when ancient astronomers turned their eyes to
the heavens to the breakthrough discoveries being unearthed by modern technology today
including some of the first images from the latest rover Perseverance. Paired with stunning
full-color photographs taken by rovers and NASA satellites images this magnificent ?biography?
of the red planet allows us to understand and experience it as never before. When the Spirit
and Opportunity Rovers landed on Mars in January 2004 scientists expected them to function for
90 days. But those three months turned into fifteen years. With data gathered by the rovers
Dr. Crumpler and his fellow team members were able to reconstruct the planet's stunning
geological past when it was once inundated with water and perhaps could have supported
microbial life. Dr Crumpler also reveals the joys and demands of life as a scientist taking
part in these historic missions. Exploring fundamental questions about this remarkable planet
that have intrigued us earthlings for years Missions to Mars illuminates Mars' significance in
the solar system?and the human imagination.
