On this day in Space! July 7, 2003: NASA’s opportunity Rover launches to Mars

The night sky buzzed with quiet excitement on 7 July 2003. NASA sent Opportunity, its second Mars rover, on a journey from Cape Canaveral, Florida. At exactly 11:18 p.m. EDT, a Delta II rocket carried the rover into the stars, marking the start of a mission that would last far longer than anyone expected.

A Launch with High Hopes
Opportunity was designed to search for signs of water. It separated from the Delta’s third stage 83 minutes after launch. With that final push, it left Earth’s orbit and began its long cruise to the Red Planet. NASA also launched Spirit, its twin rover, earlier that summer. The two were only meant to explore Mars for three months. But those early predictions quickly faded. Spirit continued working for six years. Opportunity went on to rewrite expectations completely.

From Quick Sprint to Long Marathon
By 2015, Opportunity had travelled more than 26 miles across Martian soil. Its journey was like running a marathon—only much slower and far more scientific. NASA released a video that month showing the rover’s-eye view. It compiled images taken between 2004 and 2015 using the rover’s hazard-avoidance cameras. Each picture offered a glimpse of Martian terrain through the machine’s steady lens.

As of July 2015, Opportunity was edging closer to a new chapter. Scientists planned to guide it into Marathon Valley, near Endeavour Crater’s western edge. There, it would brave another long Martian winter. The region holds ancient clay-rich rocks—important clues in understanding Mars’ watery past.