page_title: Mars Exploration Rover
section_title: Naming of Spirit and Opportunity
hierarchical_section_title: Mars Exploration Rover / Naming of Spirit and Opportunity
caption_attribution_description: English: Sofi Collis with a model of Mars Exploration Rover
context_page_description: NASA's Mars Exploration Rover mission was a robotic space mission involving two Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity exploring the planet Mars. It began in 2003 with the launch of the two rovers to explore the Martian surface and geology; both landed on Mars at separate locations in January 2004. Both rovers far outlived their planned missions of 90 Martian solar days: MER-A Spirit was active until March 22, 2010, while MER-B Opportunity was active until June 10, 2018 and holds the record for the longest distance driven by any off-Earth wheeled vehicle.
context_section_description: The Spirit and Opportunity rovers were named through a student essay competition. The winning entry was by Sofi Collis, a third-grade Russian-American student from Arizona.
  I used to live in an orphanage. It was dark and cold and lonely. At night, I looked up at the sparkly sky and felt better. I dreamed I could fly there. In America, I can make all my dreams come true. Thank you for the 'Spirit' and the 'Opportunity.'
  
  — Sofi Collis, age 9
  Prior to this, during the development and building of the rovers, they were known as MER-1 (Opportunity) and MER-2 (Spirit). Internally, NASA also uses the mission designations MER-A (Spirit) and MER-B (Opportunity) based on the order of landing on Mars (Spirit first then Opportunity).
caption: Sofi Collis with a model of Mars Exploration Rover
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