Space Daily July 19, 2026 • 23:30

When Spirit’s front wheel failed on Mars, engineers drove the rover backwards and let the dead wheel scrape through the soil — accidentally uncovering bright silica that pointed to ancient hot springs or steam vents - Space Daily

A broken wheel became a shovel, revealing mineral signatures that suggested Mars once harbored conditions suitable for microbial life.

Spirits right-front wheel stopped turning on 13 March 2006, more than two Earth years after the rover reached Mars. Engineers kept the vehicle moving by powering its other five wheels, driving mainly… [+7566 chars]

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When Spirit’s front wheel failed on Mars, engineers drove the rover backwards and let the dead wheel scrape through the soil — accidentally uncovering bright silica that pointed to ancient hot springs or steam vents - Space Daily

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