KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Launch Complex 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, a final view of the Mars Exploration Rover-1 (MER-B) is captured before it is encapsulated into its spacecraft fairing for launch. The second of twin rovers being sent to Mars, it is equipped with a robotic arm, a drilling tool, three spectrometers, and four pairs of cameras that allow it to have a human-like, 3D view of the terrain. Each rover could travel as far as 100 meters in one day to act as Mars scientists' eyes and hands, exploring an environment where humans are not yet able to go. MER-B is scheduled to launch no earlier than June 28 at one of two available times, 11:56:16 p.m. EDT or 12:37:59 a.m. EDT.

2003-06-21