February 2006    

Roving Mars: Spirit, Opportunity, and the Exploration of the Red Planet Author: Steve Squyres Publisher: Hyperion $25.95 Cloth (422 p.) ISBN: 1401301495 B&T         YBP Reviewed by David White, Customer Service Bibliographer Steve Squyres offers an in-depth look into the team behind the Spirit and Opportunity Mars rovers. Beginning with his efforts to get his geology tools onto a mission to Mars, Squyres weaves a fascinating tale of just how a NASA mission to another planet happens. Hampered by fierce competition, embarrassing failures of other Mars missions, and bureaucratic pressures, the steadily growing team that finally lands the rovers on Mars overcomes obstacles both technological and political. Written in a chronological journal format, Squyres covers the excruciating lead up to the two launches, including issues that repeatedly jeopardized the launch of each rover. Originally intended for a 90-day life span, the rovers had each passed a year of use at the time this book was published. Amazingly, both rovers are continuing to function far better than anyone could have hoped for or predicted, and have now been on Mars for almost two years. In fact, as I write this review there are articles appearing in newspapers celebrating the continued successes of the two rovers at that two year milestone. One of most fascinating aspects of the mission was having the 'mission control' teams' shift to Martian time. The Martian day is 39 minutes longer than our Earth day. Since the rover teams would want to be on the same schedule with the rover, waking up when the rovers woke up on Mars, etc., they would need to work with an ever-changing clock. In other words, to arrive at work for 'dawn' on Mars, the teams would need to arrive at 7:00 AM one day, 7:39 the next day, 8:18 the next, etc. Very soon their 'day' would overtake nighttime on Earth. Someone on the team actually modified watches to Martian time, to help the team adjust. Squyres has written a very readable, fascinating look at the inner workings of a planetary mission. Recommended for collections in the Space Sciences, History of Sciences, and also for general reading collections. Published by YBP Library Services 999 Maple St., Contoocook, NH 03229 USA v: 800.258.3774   f: 603.746.5628 w: www.ybp.com   e: academia@ybp.com All rights reserved.