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Mars rover. Artwork of the micro-rover vehicle 'Sojourner' on the surface of Mars. Sojourner was carried to Mars by the Mars Pathfinder spacecraft, which landed on 4th July 1997. The rover weighs about 9 kilograms, is 63 centimetres (cm) long and 48cm wide. It was powered by a solar panel (on top of its body) which allowed a few hours movement per day, and it was controlled by an operator on Earth. Sojourner studied rocks on the surface of Mars using its alpha-proton X-ray spectrometer (APXS) and a high-resolution camera. Sojourner's studies also provided extensive engineering data toward the design of future planetary rover vehicles. (KEYSTONE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/MARK GARLICK)