2003-032 Success

Delta II | Opportunity Rover

Jul 8, 2003, 03:18 AM UTC

Track in KeepTrack

Launch Overview

Vehicle

Delta 7925H

Agency

United States Air Force

Site / Pad

CC / SLC17B

Outcome

Success

Flight

D299

COSPAR Designator

2003-032

Mission

Opportunity Rover (Planetary Science)

Opportunity, also known as MER-B or MER-1, and nicknamed "Oppy", is a robotic rover that was active on Mars from 2004 until the middle of 2018. Opportunity was able to stay operational for 5111 sols after landing, maintaining its power and key systems through continual recharging of its batteries using solar power, and hibernating during events such as dust storms to save power. Due to the planetary 2018 dust storm on Mars, Opportunity ceased communications on June 10 and entered hibernation on June 12, 2018. It was hoped it would reboot once the weather cleared, but it did not, suggesting either a catastrophic failure or that a layer of dust had covered its solar panels.

Vehicle & Provider

Rocket

Delta II 7925H-9.5

Provider

United States Air Force

Agency launches

1052 (8 YTD)

Site launches

612 (8 YTD)

Pad launches

119 (2 YTD)

Payloads (2)

Piece Name Owner State Track
2003-032 MER-1 Lander JPL US
2003-032A Mars Exploration Rover 1 JPL US Track