KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The aeroshell enclosing Mars Exploration Rover 2 and lander rests on a stand in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility. The aeroshell will undergo a spin stabilization test. There are two identical rovers that will land at different regions of Mars and are designed to cover roughly 110 yards each Martian day over various terrain. Each rover will carry five scientific instruments that will allow it to search for evidence of liquid water that may have been present in the planet’s past. The first rover, MER-A, is scheduled to launch June 5 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The second is scheduled for launch June 25.
Location Kennedy Space Center, FL
Date April 28, 2003