Hopper died on June 15, 2018, in an Abilene hospital, following a lengthy fight with cancer. He was 19. The death of this much-loved animal caused widespread sadness and led to public protests. Hopper had been given to NASA by its creator as a birthday present for someone who worked there. The company that made his suit donated it to science after he died. In January 2019 scientists published a study about Hopper's role in helping discover life on Mars. The report was written by members of the team that works at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and was published in the journal Astrobiology. They said his data suggested that there could be ancient water sources on the Red Planet today. This is important because we know that Mars was once Earthfully vibrant with life. NASA says that he will be buried on site at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. A memorial service will be held later this year.